Labor Union Members Do Not Always Vote as Unions Want
American politicians have long appealed to organized labor for support during election campaigns.
The politicians know that thousands of labor union members generally vote for the candidates supported by their union leaders.
Most of the leaders support the Democratic Party and its candidates. And once in elected office, many Democrats support organized labor.
But as the number of unions and membership has fallen over the past half century, so has the loyalty of union members to the Democratic Party.
VOA reporter Carolyn Presutti traveled to the state of Ohio to find out which side is winning the union votes there.
Johnny Nickum is 33 years old. He likes working with wood, and hopes to become acarpenter.
Nickum once worked in the hospitality industry. Many Americans work at restaurants, hotels or other hospitality businesses. Yet he found little growth in that field. So he changed careers, moving to manual labor.
His union supports former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for president. But in a few weeks, on Election Day, Nickum will vote for her opponent, businessman Donald Trump.
“I’d probably vote Trump right now.”
Labor unions were once a powerful voice in American politics. Some unions still are.
But in recent years, many businesses have closed or moved overseas. Millions of factory jobs that were once performed by union members no longer exist. Union membership has sharply declined.
In the late 1960s, when Clinton and Trump were in college, one in four American workers belonged to a union. That number has dropped to one in 10 now. Union membership was highest in 1979, when there were 21 million. There are now 15 million union members nationwide.
American politicians have long appealed to organized labor for support during election campaigns.
The politicians know that thousands of labor union members generally vote for the candidates supported by their union leaders.
Most of the leaders support the Democratic Party and its candidates. And once in elected office, many Democrats support organized labor.
But as the number of unions and membership has fallen over the past half century, so has the loyalty of union members to the Democratic Party.
VOA reporter Carolyn Presutti traveled to the state of Ohio to find out which side is winning the union votes there.
Johnny Nickum is 33 years old. He likes working with wood, and hopes to become acarpenter.
Nickum once worked in the hospitality industry. Many Americans work at restaurants, hotels or other hospitality businesses. Yet he found little growth in that field. So he changed careers, moving to manual labor.
His union supports former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for president. But in a few weeks, on Election Day, Nickum will vote for her opponent, businessman Donald Trump.
“I’d probably vote Trump right now.”
Labor unions were once a powerful voice in American politics. Some unions still are.
But in recent years, many businesses have closed or moved overseas. Millions of factory jobs that were once performed by union members no longer exist. Union membership has sharply declined.
In the late 1960s, when Clinton and Trump were in college, one in four American workers belonged to a union. That number has dropped to one in 10 now. Union membership was highest in 1979, when there were 21 million. There are now 15 million union members nationwide.