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Maybe it's time for the Montana Comeback plan to include unions – Daily Montanan

['More From Author', 'March', 'Darrell Ehrlick']

Date: 2022-03-24 00:00:00

The third time I got a death threat as a journalist (and the last time I really kept count), it was covering a labor dispute and some union members didn’t like the coverage.

The first time had been coverage of a fraternity getting busted for many alcohol violations; and the next incident was while covering a biker gang running afoul of the law.

These kind of vague and ominous threats, while sadly increasing, are something that many newshounds have to live with or never sleep.

I don’t know if it was because of that threat. Or maybe it was because I bristled at the idea of some group speaking on my behalf to my employer — something I believed I was perfectly capable of — but I believed the time of unions was a thing for my grandfathers’ generation — they were both union presidents at the refinery in Laurel.

However, as labor has seemed to dry up, inflation soars and companies continue to see how little they can pay so that corporate coffers are enriched, it seems like the perfect time for a good old fashioned union comeback.

As much as the governor wants all the young talent to come back home to Montana, the Republicans have done little to help achieve the governor’s idea of “The Montana Comeback Plan,” a cleverly worded slogan to lure young professionals back to the Treasure State. The concept behind the governor’s plan is absolutely correct: Bring back the young professionals and graduates — but how to do that, well, that’s easier said than done.

Montana wages comparatively speaking have been low, and Montana young folks know that coming back home means sacrificing better pay. Now, the people who have seemed most likely to come back, according to excellent reporting by Eric Dietrich of the Montana Free Press, are those who have cashed in on places like Washington, Colorado and California – not just recent college grads looking to return home.

Stagnant wages, inflation, and housing prices that most Montanans would struggle to afford if forced to purchase housing again, all seem like perfect conditions for unions to once again thrive.

Many in the hospitality industry tell about not being able to make ends meet, while employers worry about even finding enough people to stay open and keep their enterprises afloat.

A recalibration is probably in order, one that gives workers a bit more power, against massive profits.

However, this isn’t just some bleeding-heart appeal to care for the person working hard. It seems like employers who are struggling to find stable, reliable and dedicated workers might also consider the benefits of unions – that they have a workforce solid enough that they won’t leave as soon as a slightly better offer comes along. And, one way or another, workers can’t toil forever or work 80 hours per week just to not afford rent, and have no benefits.

Unions may no longer be the province of the trades or the relic of railroads and factory jobs. From hospitality to retail to grocery stores all seem like increasingly better opportunities for a coalition of workers to band together for a better future.

And for the unions’ part, it seems like an opportunity to appeal to a new generation, while shedding some of the unsavory history that has plagued them. Or, innovating pay and compensation to reward more than just longevity and seniority – things that are important to employers, but aren’t necessarily correlated with quality or high production.

As Montana continues to battle for workers and secure its economic future, as it looks to attract more workers, it can’t just sell its breathtaking scenery alone. It can’t just hope on the future of digital workers even as it tries to build out broadband.

If Montana lawmakers are truly serious about the economic future and not letting our best young brains drain out of the state, as they have for decades, it seems like rather than give more tax breaks and hope the money trickles down, maybe they should begin seeing unions as a conduit for a robust workforce that can meet the future they dream about.

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