Relevant History

At the start of the Industrial Revolution, urban areas became popularized. This allowed many to get paid directly for their labor and move from traditional labor and trade. Many issues arose as working conditions were overlooked in this new environment. This would lead to labor uprisings. The first instance of worker strikes in the United States was in 1769 when journeymen protested for wage reductions. The first (trade) union would then form soon after in 1794 when Philadelphia shoemakers formed the Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers. Unions would become even more prevalent post-Civil War when African Americans and women began to be more present in the American workforce. These individuals were often exploited for cheap labor. Seeing this injustice, minority individuals banded together to form unions to fight against the past conditions that the white men (citizens at the time) had set up for them.

Current events: Data Centers

Major tech companies have been spreading more and more recently, building many data centers as they grow. There has been pushback against their expansion. States have been implementing policies to hold off data centers, from cost measures to bans. This is where labor unions come in. They work to increase job opportunities for their members. Because data centers come with so many job openings across the country, labor unions are backing the creation of data centers. Pressure from labor unions is pushing back against legislature that takes jobs out of their states. This is the main purpose of unions, to give their members fair opportunities in their state (Plautz, 2026).

Benefits, limitations, and setbacks

Unions see many benefits as they protect workers. Collective Bargaining allows employees to fight for better conditions in the workplace. This allows workers to obtain higher wages and stability. Unions also benefit those who are not as the benefits spread throughout the workplace. A result of unions was the Protecting the Right to Organize Act. This act penalized employers who illegally fired workers, closed corporation loopholes, and made it more accessible for workers to vote in unions. 

While worker unions have many benefits there are also setbacks to being a part of them. One of these setbacks is the standards set by unions. When entering a union, the social structure within is often rigid. The hierarchies within these unions decrease the voices of new or lower income workers. Lower-income workers usually couple with the issues of Labor Unions Fees. Many union members see this system of payment unfair as it allows for the leaders of the unions to profit and live a better life than the workers themselves. Union members also can be seen to have increased tensions in the workplace. As union members see injustice, many begin to do the bare minimum (or not at all) in response to how they feel. This creates a less productive and overall more dangerous workplace.