Ordway offers union-member discount on tickets to Sting’s ‘The Last Ship’

March 6, 2020 by

Union members can get steeply discounted tickets to see Sting’s Broadway musical, “The Last Ship,” at the Ordway in St. Paul next month.

“The Last Ship” tells the story of Gideon, a prodigal son returning home after 17 years at sea to find that the local shipyard his town was built around is closing, while Meg, the love he left behind, has moved on.

Tensions flare and picket lines are drawn as foreman Jackie White, played by Sting, rallies workers to take over the shipyard and build one last ship in the face of the gathering storm.

It’s a story about the power of collective action in the workplace, and in a nod to those who know it best, the Ordway is offering members of creative and labor unions tickets for just $49, discounted from the regular price of $90 to $155.

The discount applies to performances April 8, 14 and 15. Tickets must be purchased in advance at Ordway.org, using promo code UNION, or by calling the box office at 651-224-4222.

Union members must show a union card or other proof of membership to obtain their tickets at the box office.

“The Last Ship,” inspired by Sting’s 1991 album “The Soul Cages,” features a Tony Award-nominated original score by Sting. The performance, called “thrilling and stirring” by The Guardian newspaper, features some of Sting’s best-loved songs: “Island of Souls,” “All This Time” and “When We Dance.”

Learn more about the show, which runs April 8 to 19 on the Ordway Music Theater stage, on the Ordway’s website.

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Holding steady in Minnesota, union density plunges in Right-to-Work Wisconsin

January 28, 2016 by

BLS LogoUnion members made up 14.2 percent of Minnesota’s wage-earning and salaried workforce last year, a membership rate unchanged from 2014, according to an annual report released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

A similar trend played out nationwide, as the union membership rate held steady at 11.1 percent of the U.S. workforce.

But the story was much different in Wisconsin, where total union membership dropped to 223,000 last year, down 83,000 from 2014. Union members made up just 8.3 percent of the workforce in 2015, down from 11.7 percent in 2014.

In 2009, the year before Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker took office, Wisconsin had 385,000 union members, accounting for 15.2 percent of the state’s workforce.

Since taking office, Walker has teamed up with Republican majorities in the Legislature to pass a Right to Work law and Act 10, which included draconian restrictions on public-sector workers’ union rights, including a provision that requires local unions to hold annual recertification elections.

Both measures substantially weakened unions’ bargaining power and likely contributed to a 45-percent drop in union density statewide over the last six years.

“It shouldn’t surprise anyone that Minnesota has … a higher unionization rate, higher median income and a better workplace safety record than any of our neighbors,” said Bill McCarthy, president of the state’s largest labor federation, the Minnesota AFL-CIO. “Higher union density means a higher standard of living for all working people.”

Meanwhile, the wage advantage enjoyed by union members nationwide remained strong in 2015. Median weekly earnings among union members who worked full time last year were $980, compared to $776 for non-union workers.

The advantage was even greater among some minority groups. Black union members, for example, earned 30 percent more than black non-union workers. And Hispanic women union members earned 44 percent more than their non-union peers.

Union membership continued to pay off in certain industries as well, most notably in construction, where union members’ median weekly earnings were $356 more than non-union workers.

The BLS reported Minnesota had a total of 363,000 union members in 2015, but unions represented an additional 22,000 workers. This group includes so-called “fee payers,” who elect not to pay union dues but are covered by the benefits of a union contract.

In Minnesota, fee-payers account for 5.7 percent of workers who benefit from collective bargaining agreements. In Right-to-Work Wisconsin, where unions are barred from charging fair-share fees, that ratio jumps to 11.9 percent.

Public-sector unions’ ability to collect fair-share fees is under scrutiny by the Supreme Court in Friedrichs v. CTA. Many experts expect the court’s ruling, expected before the end of June, to establish Right to Work across the public sector in all 50 states.

The BLS generates its annual report on union membership using results of the Current Population Survey, a monthly sample survey of about 60,000 eligible households nationwide. BLS data was released the same day that Gallup ranked Minnesota with the highest job creation index in the nation.

“As we continue to lead the nation in job creation, Minnesota’s labor movement is committed to ensuring these new jobs are family-sustaining jobs,” McCarthy said.

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Unions’ organizing gains outpaced by overall job growth in 2014

January 23, 2015 by

BLS LogoThe percentage of workers who are members of labor unions dropped slightly in 2014 both nationally and in Minnesota, while the earnings advantage enjoyed by union members remained significant, according to an annual report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The report, released today, found the number of union members nationwide last year was about 14.6 million, or 11.1 percent of the workforce. Total membership changed little from 2013, but the union membership rate fell from 11.3 percent.

Minnesota continues to have greater union density than the country as a whole. About 360,000 Minnesota workers, 14.2 percent of the state’s workforce, are members of unions, and 20,000 more are represented by unions but opt out of paying dues.

In 2013, Minnesota had 362,000 union members, making up 14.3 percent of the state’s workforce.

Meanwhile, the BLS report confirmed that collective bargaining continues to be an effective tool for raising wages.

Median weekly earnings for nonunion workers nationwide last year were $763, compared to $970 for union workers. In other words, non-union workers earned just 79 percent of what union workers earned in 2014.

The advantage remains particularly significant for union women. According to an analysis of the BLS report by the National Women’s Law Center, the gap between what women and their male counterparts earn for doing the same job is smaller among union members (about 11 cents) than non-union workers (18 cents).

The union advantage held up across most sectors of the economy. Median weekly earnings among hospitality workers ($500 non-union to $636 union), transportation and utility workers ($785 to $1,011), service sector workers ($482 to $762) and public sector workers ($850 to $1,014) showed a significant union advantage.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said the report was not all bad news. The nation’s top labor leader pointed to major organizing wins in the private sector, where union membership grew by 41,000, or 0.6 percent, from 2013 to 2014. Most notably, 14,500 American Airlines workers voted to join the Communications Workers of America last year.

Organizing gains were outpaced, however, by the increase in overall employment, as the economy continued to add jobs in its recovery from the Great Recession. As a result, the share of union members in the workforce fell.

Here’s Trumka’s statement, released today, in response to the BLS report:

Today’s release of the annual union membership numbers by the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that in this economic recovery, people are either seeking out good union jobs or taking matters into their own hands by forming unions to raise wages and ensure that new jobs are good jobs.

In 2014, workers made great strides and confronted great challenges, including major organizing wins at American Airlines, multiple state legislative victories on the minimum wage and innovative campaigns conducted by carwash workers, among others. We recognize, however, that right-wing billionaires’ extremist politics, a rapacious Wall Street and insufficient advocacy from political leaders thwarted further progress.

In the State of the Union this week, President Obama celebrated the fact that our economy has benefited from 58 consecutive months of job growth and reiterated the need for laws that strengthen unions and give workers a voice. But the most important question is not simply how many jobs we’re creating, but are we creating jobs that raise wages for all? A strong recovery must be built on family-sustaining, not poverty-level jobs. Today’s news confirms what most of us already knew: workers are finding good union jobs despite political ideologues — and jobs are coming back as the economy slowly rebounds, but neither are nearly enough.

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Members bring union perspective to local campaigns in East Metro suburbs

October 30, 2013 by
Don Mullin, a member of the Painters and Allied Trades, talks with a volunteer on his campaign for White Bear Lake School Board.

Don Mullin, a member of the Painters and Allied Trades, talks with a volunteer on his campaign for White Bear Lake School Board.

At least three union members are running campaigns for local office in the East Metro this fall, a positive sign in an odd-year election cycle for those who believe union members naturally make the best advocates for working families’ issues.

Don Mullin, a second-generation trade show decorator and member of the Painters and Allied Trades, is running for White Bear Lake Area School Board with the endorsement of organized labor.

Project1_Layout 1Two union members are seeking spots on the New Brighton City Council: Mary Kunesh-Podein, a member of the Robbinsdale Federation of Teachers, and Graeme Allen, a member of Teamsters Local 120.

All three candidates agree that being a union member lends a unique and valuable perspective to their campaign, and all three appreciate the support they’ve received from the labor community as well.

“It’s been amazing. I’ve had support from Education Minnesota and teachers in New Brighton, and teachers from other school districts have reached out to me too,” Kunesh-Podein said.

[Election Day is Nov. 5. For more information on voting, visit the Secretary of State’s website.]

Running for his family

Mullin is the father of three children. One graduated from White Bear Lake in 2009, and two are currently enrolled in the district’s schools. A first-time candidate for office, he says he entered the race out of concern for the future of his children and their classmates.

Mullin wants to see the school district increase its embrace of technology that will drive tomorrow’s economy. “Technology is that critical piece for us to compete in the global economy,” he said.

His background in the Trades provides him with insight into the skills young adults need to be equipped with when they enter the workforce. While he would like to see all students go to college and get four-year degrees, “that’s not a reality for every student,” he said. “We need to offer and promote other opportunities, like vocational schools and apprenticeship programs.”

Mullin supports the district’s levy referendum, although he says the school board must be “held accountable for making sure the funds go into classrooms, music programs and technology.”

The primary job of school board members, Mullin added, is to equip teachers and other professionals in the district with the tools they need to do their jobs. “People should be thanking teachers,” he said. “There is a teacher out there today teaching the next president of the United States, the next congressperson, the next senator. I entered this race because I believe in teachers.”

Mary Kunesh-Podein

Mary Kunesh-Podein

Fresh faces in New Brighton

Both union members seeking spots on the New Brighton City Council say they bring a fresh voice to the job, and both pledge to keep the northern suburb a great place for middle class families to put down roots.

Allen, a community and political organizer for the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, moved to New Brighton five years ago.

“I was looking for a place to put my roots down and raise a family, and New Brighton was the perfect place for me,” he said. “I’m running to present a new vision and fresh energy to decisions the council is making.”

Kunesh-Podein has seen a need for new leadership on the council while serving on the city’s Parks, Recreation and Environmental Commission for the last two years.

“We’ve got a council that has been there for a while, and we’re seeing some of the same old, same old things,” she said. “Mostly, I think it’s just a fresh face, a fresh idea, fresh approach to some of our decisions that we need most.”

Allen and Kunesh-Podein pointed to recent reductions in city staff as troubling developments for New Brighton’s standard of living. From the Parks, Recreation and Environmental Commission, Kunesh-Podein has seen firsthand the effects of those cuts.

“We lost a forester,” she said, “and I would like to see that position come back. You can kind of tell when somebody is there to protect the trees and parks and green spaces. I’d also like to see us hire back someone to implement kids programming and summer programming in our city buildings.”

Graeme Allen

Graeme Allen

Allen said the city is expected to receive a significant amount of state aid to local governments, funds he’d like to see restore some of the personnel cuts.

“I think we can not only lower property taxes, but also restore some of the programs that have been cut – programs that were serving kids and seniors, programs out of our Parks Department,” he said. “You can’t cut your way to prosperity.”

Union perspectives

All three candidates, meanwhile, point to assets they will bring to public office that stem from their experience as active union members. For Kunesh-Podein, it’s a background in labor-management relations.

“Having been in a union, I’ve gone through those negotiations and that whole process,” she said. “It’s made me a little more aware and experienced.”

Allen points to his track record of political activism and the relationships he’s built over time with elected officials in the region. “Our current city council doesn’t work with state House and Senate members on issues that affect the region and the city,” he said.

For Mullin, it’s a work ethic he learned as a union member.

“I’ve been knocking on doors, talking to people every week,” he said. “If I lose this election, it’s not going to be because somebody outworked me.”

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