How Labor Unions Shape Society | Margaret Levi | TED

翻译人员: shi hang 校对人员: Yan Li Xiao

It's easy to imagine a world without labor unions.

想象一个没有工会的 世界是一件很容易的事。

We're essentially living in that world now.

我们现在基本上 就处于在那个世界中。

And we are worse off as a result.

结果，我们的处境更糟。

Few of you probably belong to unions,

你们中可能很少有人属于一个工会，

but almost all of you benefit from them.

但几乎所有人都从工会中受益。

It was unions that brought us the weekend.

是工会为我们带来了周末。

More importantly, unions built the middle class

更重要的是，工会通过 确保工人有收入来养家糊口，

by ensuring that workers had the incomes to support families,

购买房屋和汽车，

to buy homes and cars,

并梦想他们的孩子可以做得更好，

and to dream that their children could do better than they could.

创造了中产阶级。

It was union power and advocacy that helped us win Social Security

正是工会的力量和倡导 帮助我们赢得了

and health insurance upon which almost all of us depend.

几乎所有人都依赖的 社会保障和健康保险。

In the 1950s,

在 1950 年代，

33 percent of private-sector workers belonged to unions.

33% 的私营部门工人属于工会。

Big labor stood proudly beside big business and big government.

大劳工骄傲地站 在大企业和大政府旁边。

No more.

一切都不再。

Today, only six percent of private sector workers

如今，只有 6% 的私营部门工人

are members of unions.

是工会成员。

With their decline in numbers came a decline in political and economic power.

随着他们人数的减少， 政治和经济实力也随之下降。

And the result?

结果呢？

A significant increase in inequality.

不平等现象显着增加。

A significant deterioration in the possibility of a middle life --

中年人的可能性显着下降——

A middle class lifestyle for this generation or the next.

适合这一代或下一代的 中产阶级生活方式。

And a receding chance to own a home or afford retirement.

拥有房屋或负担退休金的机会 正在减少。

We need unions to regain the power

我们需要工会重新获得权力，

so that we can regain what we have lost,

以便我们能够 重新获得我们失去的东西，

build a better future

建设更美好的未来，

and help forge democracies

并帮助

that are built on a decent social contract between citizens and government

建立在公民与政府之间 以及公民之间的体面社会契约之上

and among citizens themselves.

的民主国家。

Yes, we need unions today as much as ever.

是的，我们今天 和以往一样需要工会。

As a professor of political science,

作为政治学教授，

and someone who has studied labor unions for a long time,

也作为一个长期研究工会的人，

I can tell you that one of the most important things that unions do

我可以告诉你， 工会做的最重要的事情之一

is to counterbalance the power of corporations.

就是制衡公司的力量。

They even the playing field.

他们平衡这个运动场。

Yes, we need unions.

是的，我们需要工会。

But we need better and different unions

但我们需要更适应 21 世纪的

that are more attuned to the 21st century.

更好、不同的工会。

Let's picture the world before unions.

让我们想象一下有工会之前的世界。

Small children toiling all day and even into the night

小孩子们在嘈杂、被污染的工厂里

in noisy, polluted factories.

工作一整天甚至深夜。

Or immigrant women workers jumping from a burning sweatshop

或者移民女工 从燃烧的血汗工厂跳下，

because the fire escapes were locked

因为消防通道被锁住，

so that they could not take breaks.

所以她们无法休息。

That was New York City in 1911,

那是 1911 年的纽约市，

that's Bangladesh now.

那是现在的孟加拉国。

But unions changed that

但工会通过赢得对工人的保护

by winning protections for workers.

改变了这一点。

They transformed lives.

他们改变了生活的方式。

They enabled even the worst off to achieve the American dream.

他们使的最贫穷的人也能 实现他们的美国梦。

Consider the longshore workers, those who load and unload ships.

考虑到岸上工人， 那些装卸船只的工人。

In the morning,

早上，当老板来了 对着沿岸大喊大叫——

the boss came and yelled all along the shore --

thus the name longshore.

因此得名长岸。

They pleaded for the scarce jobs,

他们恳求那些稀缺的工作，

just as migrant day laborers do today at places like Lowe's and Home Depot.

就像今天的民工在劳氏和家得宝这样 的地方做零时工一样。

It was humiliating, degrading.

这是屈辱的，有辱人格的。

But when the unions won the right to organize and won contracts,

但是当工会赢得组织权并 赢得合同之后，

the wharf rats became lords of the dock.

昔日的码头老鼠成了码头的主人。

They became middle class.

他们成为了中产阶级。

They could marry.

他们可以结婚。

They could support families,

他们可以支撑自己的家庭，

they could send their children to college,

他们可以送他们的孩子去大学，

they had health insurance and benefits.

他们拥有健康保险和福利。

They had dignity, respect.

他们拥有尊严，拥有尊重。

They were full American citizens.

他们是完整的美国公民。

Unions enabled others to attain the American dream

工会通过提高普遍工资与减少

by raising wages generally

and by reducing wage disparities between men and women

男女之间和种族之间的工资差距， 使的他人也能够实现美国梦。

and among the races.

My research has shown me

我的研究告诉我

that with every transformation in the economy, the technology,

随着每一次的经济与技术改变，

the way we work,

我们的工作方式，

there has been an evolution in the labor movement.

工人起义同样也在更变。

Craft unions,

工艺工会，

think construction work or even beer making,

想想建筑工作甚至啤酒制造，

emerged from medieval guilds.

都是从中世纪的行会中产生的。

With the rise of industry -- auto, steel --

随着工业的兴起—— 汽车，钢铁——

new forms of organization emerged.

形成了新的组织形式。

When white collar workers in offices, in government, in health care

当白领在办公室， 在政府，在医疗保健

in professions,

的职业时，

won voice and representation,

他们赢得了话语权和发表权，

yet another kind of union developed.

发展成为了另一种工会形式。

In my mind, in my ears,

在我的脑海里，在我的耳朵里，

is Dolly Parton singing "9 to 5",

是多莉·帕顿在唱“9 to 5”吗？

inspired by a real-life union of that name.

那个名字的灵感来源于 一个现实中的工会名。

When you hear that song,

当你听到那首歌时，

thank the unions for a decent working day.

请感谢工会为你带来了 一个体面的工作日。

History shows

历史表明，

that unions helped people get dignity, rise out of poverty,

工会帮助人们获得尊严， 摆脱贫困，

inhibit workplace dangers and harassment

抑制工作场地所带来的危险和骚扰

and improve health and well-being of us all.

并改善健康 和我们所有人的福祉。

These are not yesterday's problems.

这些并不是一个过去的毛病。

Workers of today still need and want unions.

如今的工人依旧需要并想要工会。

An MIT survey revealed that 50 percent of the non-union workforce

麻省理工的一项调查显示， 百分之 50 的非工会劳动力

would join a union if given a chance.

会选择加入工会。

So, Margaret,

所以，玛格丽特，

if unions are so great,

如果工会像你说的那么好的话，

why are they in such serious decline?

它们为什么会出现如此严重的衰退呢？

Because the odds are stacked against them.

因为他们的赔率对他们十分不利。

Many of you have read about the Amazon warehouse workers

你们之中很多人都读过 关于亚马逊仓库工人们

who failed to win a union representation election in Alabama.

并未能赢得工会在 阿拉巴马州的代表选举。

They failed because of concerted employer opposition.

他们的失败是由于 雇主们的一致反对。

Indeed, there are many employers and politicians

事实上，有许多雇主和政客

who are preventing the reform of labor laws

正在阻止近一个世纪前

passed nearly a century ago in another era

在另一个时代和另一个经济体 中通过的劳动法改革。

and another economy.

These are laws

这些法律禁止农业和家庭工人组织，

that inhibit agriculture and domestic workers from organizing,

largely Black and brown workers.

主要是黑人和棕色工人。

They make it hard for workers in the gig economy to organize,

它们使零工经济中的 工人难以组织起来，

those we call forth with our apps:

我们通过您的应用程序呼吁：

rideshare, delivery service, specialized tasks.

拼车，送货服务，专业任务。

There are employers and politicians who are pushing states

有些雇主和政客正在推动各州

to pass “right-to-work” laws:

通过“工作权”法律：

laws that abolish the requirement

废除工会合同涵盖的人

that those who are covered by union contracts have to pay union dues.

必须支付工会会费的要求的法律。

This effectively kills the unions.

这有效地扼杀了工会。

Many workers in 27 states

27 个州的许多工人

do not have to pay for the benefits the unions provide for them.

不必为工会为他们提供的福利付费。

States that include Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin,

包括密歇根州、 印第安纳州和威斯康星州

former union strongholds.

在内的前工会据点州。

And society loses big.

社会损失惨重。

A recent study revealed that in right-to-work law states,

最近的一项研究表明， 在工作权法的州，

there is slower economic growth,

经济增长较慢， 消费者债务较高，工资较低，

higher consumer debt, lower wages,

worse health outcomes and lower civic participation

健康状况较差，公民参与度低于

than in states without such laws on the books.

账面上没有此类法律的州。

But it's not just employers and politicians

但不仅仅是雇主和政客

that are holding unions back.

在阻碍工会。

Unions are a cause of some of their own problems.

工会本身就是导致一些 问题的原因。

Some unions are extremely bureaucratic,

有些工会非常官僚，

stifling debate and innovation.

扼杀辩论和创新。

Some union leaders are corrupt.

一些工会的领导者是腐败的。

Rigging elections, paying themselves humongous salaries,

操纵选举，给自己支付巨额薪水，

even when they represent very low-income workers.

即使他们代表的是 非常低收入的工人。

And some commit felonies.

并且还有一些重罪。

Jimmy Hoffa is the notorious example of a labor leader who went to prison.

吉米 霍法便是劳工领袖入狱 的臭名昭著的例子。

But just this year,

但就在今年，

several high-ranking officials in the United Auto Workers

汽车工人联合会的几位高级官员

were sentenced for embezzlement.

因贪污罪被判刑。

Now, many critics, possibly some of you,

许多批评者，可能包括 你们中的一些人，

blame unions for inflation.

将通货膨胀归咎于工会。

When wages go up, consumer prices go up.

当工资上涨时，消费价格就会上涨。

True enough,

确实如此，

but so does the standard of living for workers.

但工人的生活水平也是如此。

And we as taxpayers benefit

作为纳税人，

from higher standards of living by workers.

我们受益于工人更高的生活水平。

The pandemic gave us the term "essential workers."

疫情给了我们“基本工人”这个词。

If those in grocery, warehousing, food processing, delivery,

如果那些从事杂货，仓储， 食品加工，配送，

had strong unions, indeed any unions at all,

有强大的工会， 事实上任何工会的话，

there would have been no need for federal programs

那就不会需要联邦计划来提供

for those who have jobs to feed their families and prevent evictions.

对于那些有工作要养活的人 他们的家人并防止被驱逐。

Now there are many reasons for union decline,

现在工会衰落的原因有很多,

including structural ones.

包括结构性的。

The decline in union jobs in manufacturing.

制造业工会工作岗位的减少。

But a major reason is public lack of awareness,

但一个主要原因是公众缺乏认识，

even misinformation about the value of unions.

事件对工会价值的错误信息。

Well before President Reagan

早在里根总统

fired the striking air controllers in 1981,

在 1981 年 解雇空中管制员之前，

there has been concerted and continuous opposition by employers and politicians

雇主和政界人士已经转变

to undermine unions.

并持续反对破坏工会。

Employers no longer suppress unions

雇主不再通过雇佣私人军队

by hiring private armies,

来压制工会，

like US Steel, Ford and the coal companies did.

像美国钢铁、福特和煤炭公司 做的一样。

Now they hire very high-priced consulting firms to do that work.

现在他们聘请了非常高价的咨询公司 来做这项工作。

Elected officials may no longer call out the police

民选官员可能不再要求警察

and the National Guard to cart labor organizers off to jail.

和国民警卫队将劳工组织者 送进监狱。

Now they pass legislation that restricts union organizing and power.

现在他们通过了限制 工会组织和权力的立法。

But workers are beginning to fight back

但工人们开始反击

as the headlines reveal.

正如标题所揭示的那样。

They are building solidarity across racial, ethnic,

他们正在建立跨越种族，民族，

religious, partisan divides.

宗教，党派分歧的团结。

Martin Luther King [Jr.] exhorted us to enwrap ourselves

马丁·路德金劝告我们将自己

in a single garment of destiny.

困在命运的单一服装中。

I have observed several unions that I've studied

我观察到我研究过的几个工会

build expanded and inclusive communities of fate

建立了扩大和包容的命运共同体，

in which large numbers of others recognize

其中许多人认识到

that their destinies are entwined

他们的命运是交织在一起的，

despite differences and distances.

尽管存在差异和距离。

This doesn't always happen,

这并不总是发生，

but it can and it must.

但它可以而且必须。

If you took my class, or gave me another hour,

如果你上过我的课， 或者再给我一个小时的话，

I could give you numerous examples.

我可以给你很多例子。

We need as employees and citizens

我们需要作为员工和公民的人们

to build solidarity through communities of fate

来通过建立命运共同体来建立能够

that crosses geographies and differences.

跨越地域和差异的团结。

But to do that, we need to reimagine labor unions for now.

但要做到这一点之前， 我们现在需要重新构想工会。

The labor movement must evolve as it has in the past,

劳工运动必须发展就像 过去的运动一样，

even producing possibly alt unions, alternatives to unions.

甚至产生可能的替代工会的产物或 工会的替代品。

Alternatives to traditional unions.

作为传统工会的替代方案。

Workers in gig professions, tech,

从事零工或技术的工人

don't necessarily want a traditional union,

不一定会想要一个传统的工会，

but they do want influence over their wages,

但他们确实希望一个能够 影响他们的工资，

working conditions

工作条件工作条件甚至公司的政策。

and even the policies of their companies.

And they are reimagining old approaches

他们正在重新构想旧方法

and coming up with new ones

并提出新的方案

in order to build worker voice and power.

来建立工人们的声音和权力。

Some are reconfiguring worker cooperatives:

一些正在重新配置工人合作社：

employee-owned businesses,

一个由员工拥有的企业，

in which the workers determine wages,

一个由工人决定的工资，

working conditions

工作环境

and distribution of profits.

和利润分配。

This is not a pipe dream.

这并不是白日梦。

Mondragon in Spain has over 80,000 employee owners,

西班牙的蒙德拉贡公司拥有超过 80,000 名持有股票的员工，

takes in over 13 billion dollars a year

年收入超过 130 亿美元

and redistributes its profits to build worker skills and capacities

并重新分配其利润来 培养在其成员合作社中的

among its member cooperatives.

工人的技能和能力。

A newer approach is to use platform technologies

一种较新的方法是使用平台技术

to teach workers their rights.

来教导工人他们的权利。

In our global, hyperconnected and socially isolating world,

在我们的全球、超级连接 与社会孤立的世界中，

platforms such as coworker.org or Unit

coworker.org 或 Unit 等平台

recognize and address the fact that there is a mobile workforce

认识并呼吁存在 移动劳动力的事实

that no longer has water coolers or lunch rooms

不再有饮水机或午餐室

around which to gather and strategize.

来聚集和制定战略。

These platforms provide workers with a way to share experiences,

这些平台为员工提供了 一种分享经验的方式

access organizing resources

来访问组织资源，

and build networks at scale across geographies and employers.

并在不同地区和雇主之间 建立大规模网络。

Coworker.org had a huge win with Alphabet,

Coworker.org 与 Alphabet， 谷歌的母公司，

the parent company of Google,

科技公司中的巨头，

a giant among tech firms.

一起取得了巨大的胜利。

Alphabet workers recognize that they are part of a community of fate

Alphabet 员工认识到他们

that crosses large distances.

是跨越遥远距离的 信仰社区的一部分。

They have been protesting Google's contracts with the Pentagon

他们一直在抗议谷歌与五角大楼

and with immigration authorities.

和移民当局签订的合同。

They have normal run-of-the-mill economic union demands,

他们有普通的经济工会要求，

but they also have the political demand

但他们也有政治诉求。

that they should have a say over company policies

他们应该对会影响他们

that affect them and us.

与我们的公司政策有发言权。

Now, whatever you thought of unions in the past,

现在，无论你怎么想 过去的工会，

I hope --

我希望 ——

I hope that these examples have revealed to you

我希望这些例子已经向你透露

what they can be today and for tomorrow.

工会在未来可以是怎样的。

Unions once significantly reduced income inequality,

工会一度大幅减少收入差距，

the gap between the rich and the poor.

贫富差距。

They can again.

他们依旧可以。

These graph lines came together when unions rose.

当工会兴起时， 这些图表线将汇合在一起。

I'd like to see those lines permanently converge

我希望看到这些界限永久收敛，

and inequality reduced once and for all.

不平等现象一劳永逸地减少。

Billionaires are building rockets to explore outer space.

亿万富翁们正在建造火箭 以探索外太空。

This is so exciting,

这太令人兴奋了，

but equally exciting

但同样令人兴奋的是

are the workers who are providing the goods and services

是提供商品和服务的工人

on which those billionaires [and] we all depend,

那些亿万富翁 [和]我们都依赖于他们，

exploring new ways to gain power and voice.

这是在探索一个获得 权力和发言权的新方法。

If even some of these explorations succeed,

如果即使其中一些 尝试成功了话，

workers will gain dignity,

工人们将获得尊严，

economic security

经济安全

and the power to challenge employers and politicians.

和挑战雇主和政治家的力量。

The result?

结果是？

The resuscitation of the middle class

中产阶级的复兴

and a far more equitable society.

与一个更加公平的社会。

Thank you.

感谢你们。

(Applause)

（掌声）