Does the ability to buy Toyotas hurt middle-class Americans? That is essentially the argument made by those who say falling union membership has harmed the middle class. But it holds little water. The decline of unions has hurt unions — while benefiting most other Americans.
Union membership certainly dropped sharply in the 1970s, the period when some argue things went south for the middle class. But the unions' decline started well before that. Union density peaked during World War II and began falling significantly in the mid-1950s. Between 1954 and 1970, the proportion of workers belonging to unions fell by one-fourth. It has continued to fall ever since.
Read Full Article »