Labor pains

Two major unions have departed the AFL-CIO. The Teamsters and the Service Employees International Union have decided to band with fifve other smaller unions to form a coalition focused on improving lives for union members instead of simply gaining political power, as they accused the AFL-CIO of doing. The food and commercial workers' union joined the Teamsters and SEIU later in the week.

It's a good opportunity to reflect on the role and position of the American labor union today. Membership in unions today is declining with fewer union households than ever. The Teamsters and SEIU say they want to focus more on their members and improving the quality of those members' lives. That can be done through political power — lobbying and get-out-the-vote efforts that result in elected officials who make decisions favorable to the unions' members.

As a proud member of a powerful national union, I recognize and value the efforts my union makes on a national, state and local level. Of course, I generally agree with the decisions made by the union leadership, and I acknowledge that these are often made with my best interests in mind. What is troubling is that fewer people today share the value of a collective union. They want what unions can negotiate, but they're unwilling to participate in the organizing or make the sacrifices necessary in order to see gains at the bargaining table.

My dad is a good example of this. He worked in sales and finance for a car dealership in Tacoma, Wash., for much of the 1990s. This dealership was the only one in the city whose workers were unionized and affiliated with the food and commercial workers union. This union required dues, which my dad, an ardent big-business conservative Republican, griped about frequently. That's a bit understandable since the union did little in the way of regulating job site conditions -- my dad was quasi-management and regularly worked 10- to 12-hour days. But this union had also negotiated excellent benefits, especially health care. The health care plan paid for a necessary but not life-threatening surgery for my stepmom as well as paid for medical needs after car collision. Without the union bargaining, my folks would have faced tens of thousands of dollars in medical expenses.

Powerful buisness interests, outsourced jobs and elected officials who side with business instead of workers all have hurt unions. While Republicans are mostly the cause of pinching off unions, Democrats have done their part to hurt unions, too. This week's vote on the Central American Free Trade Agreement is an example of the dwindling influence of unions and the willingness of politicians to side with corporate interests. That agreement passed the U.S. House of Representatives with just two votes, and several Republicans, to their credit and most from textile-producing states, voted against approval.

So I wonder: Does the move by these unions show that the American labor union is on its last legs? Will this be the shot in the arm union organizers need in order to regain strength in membership and in influence? Do we still need unions today? If unions go away, what will replace them?

-- Wenatchee, Wash.