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My good friend and colleague Kim Kohlhaas, President of AFT-Wisconsin, shared a video with me from a TED Talk. https://www.ted.com/talks/derek_sivers_how_to_start_a_movement While watching the short 3 minute video I learned a valuable lesson, we need to start a movement in order to build a union. 

Starting a Movement

I've been told plenty of times that I'm nuts to be a union president and that it's impossible to build a powerful union for public and higher education in Utah. Well I have to agree with the first statement, but I don't believe the second. No doubt it's difficult to unionize, but it

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Unions help all workers, not just their members, get higher wages.

  • Workers in unions earn 13 percent more than similar workers without unions; and workers in unions are more likely to have employer- provided health and retirement plans.1

  • By promoting equal pay for equal work, unions reduce inequalities and help close the wage gaps faced by women and people of color.2

  • Stronger unions set wage standards that help all workers. A non-unionized worker whose industry is 25 percent unionized is paid 5 percent more than similar workers in less- unionized industries. As unions

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Unions improve workers’ economic conditions, helping create a stable and skilled workforce.

• Multiple studies have found that unionization aids in employee retention, either directly or through the better compensation and benefits that unions offer.1
• Replacing a teacher can cost as much as $12,600.2 In healthcare, more than 5 percent of the costs of operating a hospital or clinic can come from employee turnover.3 Unions reduce the time, resources and costs associated with em- ployee recruitment and development by lowering turnover and improving retention.4, 5,6

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