Unions give individuals an opportunity to participate in democratic decision-making, says Stuart Applebaum (above), President of the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union (RWDSU) and a board member of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
Labor unions provide a collective outlet for individual self-expression and provide protection and give voice for marginalized and minority workers, allowing them to be treated with dignity and respect, he adds.
The work of the Solidarity Center, a NED core institute, adds further confirmation of why – to cite a recent book on the topic – organized labor is a democratic catalyst.
