The new face of labor (From busboys to taxi drivers, workers find new ways to organize)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20100919/FREE/309199986#

September 19, 2010 5:59 AM

By Daniel Massey

Late last month, as Gov. David Paterson signed the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights into law at a Harlem community center, Barbara Young, a nanny for 17 years, could barely contain her glee.

“After so many years and so many people depending on us, we are now recognized as part of the work force,” the 62-year-old Barbados native recalls thinking.

The signing marked the climax of a six-year campaign by Domestic Workers United to gain long-denied rights for nannies and housekeepers. But the 200,000 workers who stand to gain from the new law are not the only group whose prospects look brighter. Organizations that represent workers ranging from busboys to freelance writers are increasing their clout, winning rights for low-wage, immigrant and contingent workers who had for years fallen outside the scope of mainstream labor and its collective bargaining agreements.

The groups, often referred to as worker centers, typically represent workers in industries not covered under existing labor laws or that are difficult to organize due to workers' immigration status. They initially focused on workers who had their wages skimmed or who did not receive minimum wage. But recently, they've become more sophisticated, forming strategic partnerships with unions and the state Department of Labor, establishing health and benefits programs, flexing political muscle and championing legislation that bolsters workers' rights. Meanwhile, they're forcing established unions to embrace them and prodding employers to engage them.
Employers paying attention

With private-sector unions on the decline, representing just 16% of workers in New York City, many experts believe worker centers will play a pivotal role in the future of the labor movement. Across the state, at least 26 groups are operating, with those in the city directly representing more than 150,000 workers and reaching hundreds of thousands more. Several have expanded nationwide, and many are headed by women, with immigrant members playing key roles in decision-making.

“Groups that were considered marginal to the future of the labor movement are now seen as quite essential to the future of unions,” says Janice Fine, an expert on worker centers at the Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations. Some traditional unions have begun reaching out beyond their core membership: The United Federation of Teachers brought 28,000 home-based child-care providers into its ranks, and 32BJ SEIU has launched an aggressive campaign among school cafeteria workers.

FULL story at link.

[Omaha Steve]

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