Monday letters: SC needs unions now more than ever

Union membership has dropped in South Carolina to the lowest in the nation, at 2.1 percent. South Carolinians should be concerned about what this means for wage growth and quality of life.

Charleston’s Post and Courier reports that union members earned an average $980 per week, compared to an average $776 per week for non-union members.

Low wages negatively affect the ability to find housing, put food on the table, pay for medications and insurance, use transportation and support families. Wages stay low in South Carolina because workers don’t have unions to bargain for them, thanks to right-to-work laws and the strong anti-union bias of our governor and other elected officials.

The S.C. Labor-Progressive Caucus, under the auspices of the S.C. Democratic Party, is working to preserve and revive the labor movement and to communicate, educate and advocate for progressive policies in the economy, society and the workplace. We hope to foster awareness, in our leaders and the public at large, that progressive policies are keys to equality and justice, and can improve the lives of working families, preserve and protect the environment and lift up the economic and social conditions of all Americans.

Our caucus is committed to educating the public about the harm done to our citizens through bottom-of-the-barrel wages, and the need to welcome unions back as a permanent solution.

This story was originally published February 29, 2016 at 7:58 AM.