Is The American Labor Movement Ready For Gen Z?

Organized labor in America seems to be at a crossroads. On the one hand, the union membership rate in 2022 dropped to 10.1%, the lowest level on record. At the same time, Americans’ approval of unions in general has been on the rise since 2012. And if the current data is any indication, the latest generation to enter the workforce is poised to give unions a surge the likes of which they haven’t seen in decades. While they’re at it, they might also fundamentally change the meaning and purpose of the labor movement in this country.

Gen Z shows strong pro-union tendencies. According to the 2020 American National Election Studies survey, Gen Z gave unions a 64.3% approval rating, surpassing Millennials at 60.5%, Gen X at 57.8%, and Baby Boomers at 57.2%. They’ve demonstrated their commitment as active organizers, unionizing student workers on college campuses and baristas at Starbucks locations across the country. The Left-leaning Center for American Progress reports that not only is Gen Z the most pro-union generation currently alive, they are more pro-union than other generations were at the same age.

Gen Z’s strong support for unions is a broader part of their demonstrated predisposition for political activism. John Della Volpe of the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics, the author of “Fight: How Gen Z Is Channeling Their Fear and Passion to Save America,” has observed that this generation has chosen “to lean in and fight and try to change the system,” on issues from climate change to gun control to foreign policy.

As American labor unions struggle to decide whether their primary function is to negotiate on behalf of workers or to act as foot soldiers and financial backers for a kaleidoscope of progressive political causes, it’s not difficult to see which side Gen Z will come down on. If the 74% of Gen Z members who consider Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies to be a top priority are any indication, we can expect them to use the power of organized labor to implement DEI policies in more workplaces, following the lead of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the second-largest teachers union in the United States.