Unions are the only space in American society where socialist values of solidarity and “us vs. them” are openly spoken and encouraged, outside of DSA. It is about time for us to take back this space to fight for workers’ rights. Detroit DSA’s Jobs Fair last month was as much about education as it was about encouraging folks to consider new job options.
During the fair, about 60 participants heard from five different union members about why going to work in their fields can create legitimate change for the whole working class, while also improving their individual lives. The purpose was to bring socialists to the front line of the workforce, where we can build political power on all fronts for the working class.
These union trades didn’t come to play; the salaries of union workers represented at the fair start at $58,000 a year. The representative from the IBEW (International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers) reported hourly wages as high as $57. The UAW has members on the line at more than $40 an hour. Teachers in one Metro Detroit school district are seeing salary increases of $20,000 within the first five years of teaching, with some districts offering programs to allow paraprofessionals and substitutes to earn their teaching certificate completely for free. Workers representing an organizing effort at a major logistics company are fighting to bring their wages on par with UPS’s top hourly rate of $49/hour.
OBTAINABLE JOBS
Joining a union is not all about the money. These careers present a unique opportunity to make real change, while being obtainable for the average joe. This is where joining the union efforts at workplaces with active unionization campaigns comes into play. We are talking about millions of Americans finally having a say in their working conditions, compensation, and benefits. One targeted company employs over 1.5 million people, as of 2025; if they could achieve a union contract, it would improve the lives of millions of families.
Speaking of families, careers in teaching would also improve the lives of millions, not just teachers but parents and students as well. The teachers union speaker reported a fantastic example in sunny Los Angeles. During the most recent LA teacher strike, the teachers union decided not to include only standard strike demands. The union met with parents and students to find out what they really needed as a larger community. The district had no choice but to capitulate because they were facing pressure from both sides: families and educators.
The teachers were able to reform the law enforcement presence in schools, while simultaneously getting a contract that included wage increases and other benefits. Making this effort with the parents not only allowed the teachers to strike for longer; they were able to organize to make sure the kids were still being fed during the strike.
Teachers unions have the power to fight artificial intelligence in the classroom and prevent the cognitive decline of Generation Alpha. Teaching is an opportunity to grow a more equitable and socialist future for all children—what’s not to love?
WEEKS WHEN DECADES HAPPEN
Joining a union provides a space to radicalize your co-workers and “prepare for the weeks when decades happen,” as explained by our IBEW representative. He spoke on how electricians hold the power of the state’s technology. Electricians can work against Flock cameras and data centers because they are the literal gatekeepers of power.
At the end of the day, the most important part of the Jobs Fair was actually getting socialist bodies into these positions. Participants were able to ask their top two union choices about career opportunities and the Labor Working Group is following up with attendees to help get them these jobs.
At the tables, participants spoke on their personal reasons to make the leap into an organized workplace. Some folks spoke about making a switch to diversify the workplace and others cited wanting to finally work somewhere that they could actually have a say. Once you have a union job, it’s difficult to go back to being treated as a grunt.
One of the best parts of the event? Most participants weren’t DSA members. This event served so many purposes and hit each nail square on the head. May all of these folks get positions in unions, and hopefully join DSA. As best said by our UAW representative, “the way change happens is talking with rank-and-file workers on the shop floor—that’s where we test out our politics.”
[A version of this article first appeared in the Detroit Socialist. ]
