Labor by the Numbers: PowerPoints & Graphs
This is the official bibliography for LAWCHA’s Teaching and Public Sector Unionism initiative. A full listing of our resources can be found on the Teaching Resources page. For an overview of teachers’ unions, see our featured article, “A Century of Teacher Organizing: What Can We Learn?“
These are offered here to assist with visual demonstration of various aspects of public sector unionism and the context of this history.
Effects of Austerity Policies
This PowerPoint consists of two graphs. The first shows the total jobs gap in local public education as a result of the Great Recession and its aftermath, which was around 389,000 jobs. The second shows the effects of the Great Recession on public sector spending, which resulted in massive cuts in public sector jobs during Obama’s administration.
Growth of Inequality
This PowerPoint, compiled by Rosemary Feurer, consists of eight graphs across seven slides. They are all focused on the rise of inequality in the United States over the twentieth century, leading up to the Great Recession.
Rates of Union Membership
This PowerPoint, compiled by Rosemary Feurer, consists of four graphs and two maps. The maps focus on union density by state over time, while the graphs on larger trends in union membership in the United States over the twentieth century. It has chart that shows public vs. private union membership as a percent of workforce, which illustrates why public sector unions are now the target.
Tax Rates on the Wealthy and Corporations
This PowerPoint, compiled by Rosemary Feurer and Adam Mertz, consists of four graphs. They emphasize the loss of revenues due to shifting tax burdens and shrinking corporate and personal taxes on the wealthy.
Unions and Economic Equality
This PowerPoint consists of three graphs. They illustrate the strong correlation between union membership, economic equality, middle-class incomes, and shared prosperity.
Women and Unions
This PowerPoint consists of six graphs. They illustrate the rise of women in American unions, as well as the degree to which unions provide women better access to equal pay and benefits.
“Neither New Nor Normal”: The Politics of Economic Injustice and the Roots of Union Renewal — Connects union struggles in the public sectors to attacks on private sector
By Bob Bussell.
For more charts on graphs on the relationship between unionism and inequality and public sector issues, see Colin Gordon’s “Growing Apart”.