Tangle - A pivotal moment for U.S. workers.

Episode Date: September 5, 2023

The state of labor. Monday was Labor Day, an annual celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers. The day was first recognized by labor activists and workers in the late nineteenth century, and was officially made a federal holiday in 1894.You can read today's podcast here, today’s Under the Radar story here, and today’s “Have a nice day” story here. You can also check out our latest YouTube video here.Today’s clickables: Quick hits (0:59), Today’s story (3:40), Right’s take (6:30), Left’s take (10:44), Isaac’s take (15:28), Listener question (19:40), Under the Radar (23:16), Numbers (24:10), Have a nice day (25:15)You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here.Our podcast is written by Isaac Saul and edited by Jon Lall. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75. Our newsletter is edited by Bailey Saul, Sean Brady, Ari Weitzman, and produced in conjunction with Tangle’s social media manager Magdalena Bokowa, who also created our logo.--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tanglenews/message Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Based on Charles Yu's award-winning book, Interior Chinatown follows the story of Willis Wu, a background character trapped in a police procedural who dreams about a world beyond Chinatown. When he inadvertently becomes a witness to a crime, Willis begins to unravel a criminal web, his family's buried history, and what it feels like to be in the spotlight. Interior Chinatown is streaming November 19th, only on Disney+. The flu remains a serious disease. Last season, over 102,000 influenza cases have been reported across Canada, which is Chinatown is streaming November 19th, only on Disney+. yourself from the flu. It's the first cell-based flu vaccine authorized in Canada for ages six months and older, and it may be available for free in your province. Side effects and allergic reactions can occur, and 100% protection is not guaranteed. Learn more at flucellvax.ca.

From executive producer Isaac Saul, this is Tangle. Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening, and welcome to the Tangle podcast, the place we get views from across the political spectrum, some independent thinking, and a little bit of my take. I'm your host, Isaac Saul, and on today's episode, we're going to be talking about Labor Day, which obviously is a time to reflect on the state of the economy and the American worker and unions, all the things that go in to this holiday. We're going to share some commentary from the right and the left about that, and then, as always, my take. Hope you all had a good Labor Day break. Before we jump in, as always, we'll kick it off with some quick hits. First up, Russia's President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un are

expected to meet in Russia this month to discuss a weapons deal to bolster Russia's fighting force in Ukraine. Number two, First Lady Jill Biden tested positive for COVID-19 and was experiencing mild symptoms. President Joe Biden has tested negative. Number three, the impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, begins today. Paxton was impeached by the Republican-led statehouse on charges of bribery, obstruction of justice, and misuse of funds. Number four, Bill Richardson, the former governor of Mexico, secretary of energy, and United Nations ambassador, has died at the age of 75. Number five, Ukraine's president,

Volodymyr Zelensky, has replaced his top defense minister, citing corruption and mismanagement. And number six, a little bonus quick hit today. Congress returns from summer recess today and will begin negotiations to pass a short-term spending bill and avoid a government shutdown at the end of the month. All right, before we get into our main story today, a quick heads up that I'm going to be in Los Angeles on September 27th for the American Democracy Summit. I'll be speaking on a panel about the way young voters are turning to digital creators to become informed about civics and politics. It is a multi-day event, but speakers get a special discount code to offer their followers. So if you'd like to come, you can get 20% off your ticket if you buy that ticket with a link that is in today's episode description. You can also go to AmericanDemocracySummit.org and use SPEAKUP as your code when you check out with your ticket.

Historically, Labor Day has been a day to celebrate the achievements of American workers. The holiday dates back to the late 19th century during the Industrial Revolution. Labor activists pushed for better working conditions, more breaks, and better hours. The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated in 1882 in New York City with parades similar to those we see today. Oregon was the first state to pass a law recognizing Labor Day in 1887. This morning millions are expected to be on the move with the Labor Day weekend starting to wind down capping off a record-breaking summer travel season. The TSA reporting more than 2 million passengers Friday and again on Saturday, estimating nearly 14 million will have taken to the skies over six days with few signs of trouble.

Monday, as many of you know, was Labor Day, an annual celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers. The day was first recognized by labor activists and workers in the late 19th century and was officially made a federal holiday in 1894. Many Americans enjoy a day off from work for the federal holiday, but it's also a time for reflection on the state of the economy, labor unions, and the American workforce. This year was no different, with many Labor Day think pieces analyzing where things are for workers and unions. In Philadelphia, President Biden gave a speech on Monday touting the importance of organized labor and celebrating the state of the economy under his administration. Folks, in this Labor Day, let me tell you what

we're celebrating. We're celebrating jobs, good-paying jobs, jobs you can raise a family on, celebrating jobs, good-paying jobs, jobs you can raise a family on, union jobs. The rate of union membership is just 10.1%, the lowest in decades. Right-to-work laws in 27 states which allow union representation to non-union members without requiring the payment of union dues are part of what's causing the drop in union membership. However, organized labor activity has been increasing since the pandemic, with strikes up 50% in 2022 and workers demanding better pay, benefits, and job flexibility across sectors. In the first eight months of 2023, over 323,000 workers went on strike for better pay, benefits, or working conditions. About 67% of Americans say they support labor unions, according to Gallup. Biden's speech also comes as 146,000 members of the United

Auto Workers Union are threatening to strike. Meanwhile, the latest jobs report showed American employers added 187,000 jobs in August, though the unemployment rate rose from 3.5 to 3.8%. August, though the unemployment rate rose from 3.5 to 3.8 percent. That's the highest it's been since February of 2020, while it's still low by historical standards. According to the Labor Department, the unemployment rate rose in part because 736,000 people began looking for work last month, the most since January. Only people actively looking for work are counted as unemployed. Biden is traveling the country touting his administration's economic record, including the 2021 $1.1 trillion infrastructure bill and a new rule proposed that would make 3.6 million more workers eligible for overtime pay. However, the pitch is struggling to gain

traction with voters as 59% disapprove of Biden's handling of the economy, and 3 in 4 say inflation is headed in the wrong direction. Today, we're going to break down some commentary from the right and the left about Labor Day, and then my take. First up, we're going to start with what the right is saying. Many on the right criticize the Biden economy and worry about the increased power of labor unions. Some argue that federal workers, now a huge chunk of the unionized labor force, need to return to work in person. Others say Labor Day is about celebrating workers, not union bosses, and argue that many workers don't have their voices heard. In the Daily Caller, Linda McMahon said it's not a happy Labor Day for American workers under Biden.

Inflation hit a 40-year high last year due to the Biden administration's reckless $6 trillion spending spree, and prices have risen by 17% under this administration. Interest rates have continued to increase, and for just the second time in history, Fitch Ratings has downgraded our nation's long-term credit rating. American workers know that this economy is not working for them. Their salaries have not kept up with inflation, and 61% are living paycheck to paycheck. Under a mountain of paperwork requirements and new regulatory burdens, their productivity has declined. Credit card debt has hit a record $1 trillion. More of them have had to pull from their retirement savings just to make ends meet.

At the same time, the Biden administration is trying to limit worker flexibility by eradicating many kinds of freelance and independent contracting jobs, all in the name of allegedly protecting workers. Even more troubling, the Biden administration has continued to push policies that will destroy hundreds of thousands of union jobs in the coming years, McMahon said. Requiring two-thirds of U.S. auto sales to be electric vehicles in the next 10 years will eliminate an estimated 117,000 auto manufacturing jobs nationwide because electric vehicles require significantly fewer parts and assembly workers. Unfortunately, union leadership has gone along with the Biden administration's plans, sacrificing their members' jobs and prospects in the process.

The Washington Examiner editorial board said this Labor Day, federal workers should go back to the office. When Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894, government employees weren't allowed to unionize. Now, they make up almost half of all union members. This would be unacceptable even if they were all showing up to work, but they are not. And that adds insult to injury. President Joe Biden needs to make sure they do, the board said. Some 7.1 million government workers are unionized compared to 7.2 million in the entire private sector. If current trends continue, the labor movement will soon be majority government worker.

Like their private sector counterparts, most government workers were allowed to work at home during the pandemic. Unlike most private sector workers, federal employees have mostly stayed away long after the pandemic ended. According to a report by the Office of Personnel Management, just one in three federal employees are back in the office full-time. The country is suffering because of it, the board said. Wait times are up at the Department of Veterans Affairs, passports have been delayed at the State Department, and customers can't reach the Social Security Administration by phone. This is unacceptable. In Fox News, Mark Mick said Labor Day is about celebrating workers, not union bosses. But that won't stop Labor Day's apologists from stealing the spotlight to demand more power, Mick's wrote. The fact is, today's unions are built on

the government-granted privilege of compulsion. In the 23 states without right-to-work laws, employees can be fired for refusing to pay union dues or fees, even if they don't want the union and never ask for it. Those workers and millions more have no choice but to accept union control over their wages and working conditions. Biden, who campaigns as the most pro-union president in American history, conditions. Biden, who campaigns as the most pro-union president in American history, is more than willing to undermine the rights of individual workers as he seeks to advance union boss power. He touts his support for the PRO Act, a bill that would repeal all 27 state right-to-work laws by federal fiat. Polls regularly show that workers support the choice they have under the right-to-work laws. Right-to-work doesn't stop a single worker from joining or paying dues to a union if they voluntarily choose to, but merely ensures union

financial support is voluntary. All right, that is it for the rightist saying, which brings us to what the left is saying. Many on the left are celebrating the economy and the state of play for workers. Some urge Americans to demand a world where more workers, perhaps all workers, are unionized. Others warn more economic upheaval could make workers unionized simply to protect themselves. In the Washington Post, E.J. Dion Jr. said workers can celebrate their power this Labor Day. Young Americans are the country's most pro-union generation. Labor has poll ratings most politicians only dream about, and the Biden administration is making workers pay, benefits, and rights its calling card. Although membership in unions is

ticking up again, the organized share of the workforce is still stuck at about 10%. But so many other indicators suggest that labor's long decline is over. Heralds of change include well-publicized organizing efforts in new sectors of the economy, broad public sympathy for the Hollywood's writer struggle, and big wage gains by workers increasingly willing to strike for them. Then there's Biden, the most outspokenly pro-labor president since Franklin D. Roosevelt. Biden's Labor Department just proposed a rule that would make an estimated 3.6 million salaried workers eligible for overtime pay. The week before, the National Labor Relations Board, NLRB, transformed by Biden's appointments, issued a

decision that will boost union organizing after decades in which management held the upper hand. The Treasury Department also released a report that found that unions raise the wages of their members by 10 to 15 percent, have spillover effects that benefit non-union workers, reduce race and gender wage gaps, and boost businesses' productivity. In Newsweek, David Rolfe said to imagine a world where there were unions for all American workers. Thanks to tight labor markets, pandemic-era fiscal policy, and the $15 minimum wage movement, low-wage workers have seen their first inflation-adjusted pay increases since the 1970s, Rolfe said. While unions have historic highs in popularities, it isn't all good

news. Unions, the only institution in American civil society specifically purposed to advance and protect the economic interests of our working class majority, now represent only 6% of eligible private sector workers, down from 48% in 1946. There are literally more Americans who think that chocolate milk comes from brown cows. This isn't because American workers don't want unions or representation, but because our broken labor laws designed for the economy of the 1930s have functionally stopped enabling collective bargaining and have become a tool to prevent it, Rolf wrote. Unless employers agree, unions can only be formed on an opt-in,

workplace-by-workplace basis through a months-long government-run election process, which employers have every incentive to impose, frequently spending years litigating. Many of the most effective tools for organizing and bargaining were outlawed at the behest of the business lobby in 1947. Even today, employers commonly fire union supporters, engage in anti-union surveillance and intimidation, and refuse to bargain in good faith. Based on Charles Yu's award-winning book, Interior Chinatown follows the story of Willis Wu, a background character trapped in a police procedural who dreams about a world beyond Chinatown. When he inadvertently becomes a witness to a crime, Willis begins to unravel a criminal web, his family's buried history, and what it feels like to be in the spotlight.

Interior Chinatown is streaming November 19th, only on Disney+. The flu remains a serious disease. Last season, over 102,000 influenza cases have been reported across Canada, which is nearly double the historic average of 52,000 cases. What can you do this flu season? Talk to your pharmacist or doctor about getting a flu shot. Consider FluCellVax Quad and help protect yourself from the flu. It's the first cell-based flu vaccine authorized in Canada for ages six months and older, and it may be available for free in your province. Side effects and allergic reactions can occur, and 100% protection is not guaranteed. Learn more at FluCellVax.ca.

protection is not guaranteed. Learn more at flucellvax.ca. In The Guardian, Senator Bernie Sanders, the independent from Vermont, said there's never been more income and wealth inequality in America than there is today, and warns that more change is coming. As the billionaire class becomes richer and more powerful, over 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, and many work for starvation wages under terrible working conditions. Incredibly, despite huge increases in worker productivity and an explosion in technology, the average American worker is making over $45 a week less today than he or she did 50 years ago after adjusting for inflation. And in the midst of this massive inequality, the United States and

the world face enormous economic transformation as a result of artificial intelligence, robotics, and other new technologies. It is not utopian thinking to imagine that for the first time in world history, we could enter a time in which every man, woman, and child has a decent standard of living and improved quality of life, Sanders wrote. And in that regard, there's been some very good news over the past several years. We're now seeing workers stand up and fight for justice in a way we have not seen in decades. In America, more workers want to join unions, more workers are joining unions, 273,000 last year alone, and more workers are going out on strike for decent wages and benefits and winning. We're seeing that increased militancy across all our economy, with truck drivers, auto workers,

writers, actors, warehouse workers, healthcare professionals, graduate student teachers, and baristas. All right, that is it for the Left and the right are saying, which brings us to my take. So believe it or not, I actually think there's a pretty nice bipartisan story to tell on this Labor Day. On one hand, market pressures are creating better conditions for workers. Unemployment is low, workers are in demand, and they are taking advantage. Since the economic recovery from COVID-19 began, workers have been changing jobs and seeing real wage gains, with the trend continuing into January of this year. At the same time, because workers are in such high demand, they're able to ask for the kinds of benefits they truly want. Employers, in turn, are offering better benefits, more flexible

schedules, and higher wages. On the other hand, we've seen organized labor close the gaps where the market hasn't accomplished what workers want. As we covered in July, Hollywood writers and actors are striking to protect their pay and the rights to their own likenesses and work. The Teamsters at UPS negotiated a contract supported by 86% of voters that will raise wages by $2.75 per hour this year and a total of $7.50 per hour after five years. Full-time UPS drivers are going to make $170,000 annually in pay and benefits. At major corporations like Amazon and Starbucks, workers are demanding more and, for the first time ever, finding ways to unionize. The United Auto Workers are in the process of flexing their power. Like most Americans, I think this is good. I also see a less optimistic but equally bipartisan

story about the dire need for increased worker power, which is somewhere at the intersection of the new Trump right and the Bernie left. The new right belief is that when capitalism functions well, there are few systems better than it. But when corporations are less concerned than ever about the American worker, and governmental bodies are captured by those corporations, we run into huge problems. This is, in part, the doctrine Trump ran on in 2016. Congress was corrupt in selling out the middle class to foreign nations, spending more money on wars abroad than American workers at home, and we needed to fight to bring those jobs and that funding back to America. Then there's the Bernie Doctrine, that life for your average

American worker is much harder now than it was 50 years ago, that despite huge prosperity in our country, an absurd and increasing proportion of wealth goes to the very few at the top, and that the only way to fight back is to organize. The ratio of typical CEO to typical worker pay was 59 to 1 in 1989. In 2021, it was 366 to 1, and in 2022, it was 399 to 1. As David Rolfe noted under what the left is saying, it now takes 62 weeks of median male wages to pay for a middle-class family's food, housing, healthcare, education, and transportation, up from 40 weeks in 1985. Financial precarity, not having routinely positive cash flow, not being able to pay bills on time, not having adequate savings and insurance, is now a problem

faced by 69% of Americans. As I've said in the past, my position on unions is pretty agnostic. It is obvious when unions are working well, and we've seen many examples of that in the last few months. At the same time, unions can also be counterproductive. When it is police unions stopping much-needed reforms, or teacher unions preventing a return to school after COVID-19, there are plenty of examples of what happens when union decisions diverge from the interests of their members. As with most things, talking about unions in broad terms is difficult. But I think there are encouraging signs all around. Whether it comes from union power or

market forces, the story for this year's Labor Day is mostly about increasing worker leverage. Inflation is still hurting the American worker, but it is finally trending in the right direction. Wages are going up, organized labor is increasing in popularity, workers are still in huge demand, and people are often getting the kinds of benefits and pay bumps they want when they change jobs or demand them where they were. On this Labor Day, I think we can expect to see that increased power continue to grow. And that's a story I'd hope Americans of all political persuasions would be happy to hear. All right, that is it for my take, which brings us to your questions answered. This one's from Leonard in Cottonwood, California.

Leonard said, I was wondering if you had a chance to read the August 14th article in the University of Pennsylvania's Law Review. Two law professors using an originalist interpretation of the third section of the 14th Amendment postulate that Donald Trump is disqualified from running for president in 2024. I've not read the article, but Heather Cox Richardson's article on August 19th discusses it. Your thoughts? So I did not read Cox Richardson's take and hadn't read the original Law Review article from William Baud and Michael Stokes Paulson when you asked. I have read Donald K. Sherman's Summary in the Hill, which I actually referenced in a reader question in a Tangle edition a few weeks ago. But to answer your question, I did read parts of the article from Baldwin Paulson in the Penn Law Review, though in my defense it is pretty long and it gets pretty dense with the

legalese. The upshot for their claim is that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment bars from public office former representatives and government officers who participated in a rebellion or insurrection. The authors took painstaking care to establish that it is still relevant, that the sincerity of the belief that Joe Biden lost the election is not relevant, and that Section 3 supersedes other rights enumerated in the Constitution and its amendments. And while calling January 6th an insurrection may be far from a slam dunk to prove in court, I think the authors made a pretty strong argument that a court would see it that way. To quote from Sherman's summary in The Hill, Last September, three New Mexico residents represented my organization,

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, and won the first case in more than 150 years, removing an elected official from office based on participation in an insurrection. The court ruled that then-New Mexico County Commissioner Coy Griffin had violated Section 3 of the 14th Amendment by recruiting men for battle to join Trump's wild effort to overturn the election January 6. Normalized violence and breached police barriers is part of the weaponized mob that allowed others to overwhelm law enforcement and storm the Capitol. Griffin's removal marked the first case at the federal level, concluding that what occurred on January 6th was an insurrection. Then there's what the authors called the rubber-hits-the-road

question. Did Donald Trump engage in an insurrection or give aid and comfort to those who did? Baugh and Polson argued that his speech, while perhaps not qualifying for incitement, did provide encouragement for an insurrection. They further argued that Trump provided support through deliberate inaction. Legal scholars disagree on that, as well as two other main points. First, skeptics say the 14th Amendment was meant to be enforced on Confederate soldiers, and an originalist wouldn't be persuaded to see the Griffin case as precedent to the contrary. Second, the text of

Section 3 bars from office anyone who has previously taken an oath as a member of Congress or as an officer of the United States, and the president may not qualify as an officer of the United States. So, my thoughts? Honestly, I don't mean to cop out here, but I'm not a constitutional lawyer, and this question is one of the most complicated legal ones I've come across. To me, it feels very undemocratic for this tactic to be used to keep Trump off the ballot, and it's so extreme I don't imagine it actually coming to fruition. But it's hard for me to say what will happen legally, given that both sides make what sound to me like strong arguments. I'm sure a good deal of the outcome would depend on the presiding judge, and if I had to bet, I'd put my money on the skeptics.

Alright, next up is our under-the-radar section. A huge threat to the U.S. budget has receded, but nobody is able to explain why. Runaway Medicare spending is one of the top concerns for economists from the left and right, and something we have written about and tangled repeatedly. But there is a $3.1 trillion gap between what economists thought Medicare spending would look like in 2023 and what it actually looks like now. Instead of growing and growing, spending per Medicare beneficiary has leveled off for most of a decade. Without a doubt, this is the most important thing that has happened to the federal budget in the last 20 years. David Cutler, a professor of

health policy and medicine at Harvard, told the New York Times, the reason for the slowdown is an apparent mystery, one that scholars have been arguing about for years. The New York Times has the story, and there's a link in today's episode description. All right, next up is our numbers section. The union membership rate of the public sector workers in 2022 was 33.1%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The union membership rate of private sector workers in 2022 was 6%. The union membership rate of men and women respectively in 2022 was 10.5% and 9.6%. The union membership rate of men and women respectively in 1983 was 24.7% and 14.6%. The number of workers older than 65 who are expected to be added to the economy by 2031 is 3.8 million, according to

the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The number of workers at General Motors, Ford Motor, and Stellantis who will go on strike on September 14th if negotiations on a new contract don't succeed is 150,000. The number of workers who have gone on strike in the past year if these auto workers don't reach a deal with their employers is 450,000. That would be the highest level since 2018. All right, and last but not least, our have a nice day story. He'd had enough of being at the animal shelter, so Scout, the dog, climbed over one tall fence, then another, crossed the busy highway in the darkness, entered the automatic doors of a nursing home down the road, and walked on notice into the lobby, hopped onto a couch,

curled up into a ball, and quietly went to sleep for the night. After the local sheriff came and took him back to the shelter, Scout returned to the same couch at Meadowbrook Medical Care Facility just a few days later. He did that one time, two times, three times, and obviously, that's something you should pay attention to, said Meadowbrook's director, Marna Robertson. With the agreement of the staff, Marna adopted Scout as the nursing home's pet to the delight of the residents. I think it reminds them of being home, said Rhonda Tomczak, 49. Having a dog around makes it feel like home. The Detroit Free Press has the story, and there's a link in today's episode description.

All right, everybody, that is it for today's podcast. As always, if you want to support our work, please go to readtangled.com slash membership. And before you get out of here, a quick heads up. We do have a brand new YouTube video. It just went up on the channel about two hours ago. It is about all the old people in Congress. I don't know a nice way to say that. So go to YouTube, look up Tangle News, go check out this latest video.

We're talking term limits, age limits, some of what's been going on with Mitch McConnell and Dianne Feinstein. I think you're going to enjoy it. And, you know, give us a like, subscribe, check out the channel. We'll be right back here same time tomorrow. Hope you had a good Labor Day. Peace. Our podcast is written by me, Isaac Saul, and edited by John Law. Our script is edited by Ari Weitzman, Bailey Saul, and Sean Brady. The logo for our podcast was designed by Magdalena Bukova, who's also our social media manager.

Music for the podcast was produced by Diet75. For more on Tangle, please go to readtangle.com and check out our website. Thanks for watching! the story of Willis Wu, a background character trapped in a police procedural who dreams about a world beyond Chinatown. When he inadvertently becomes a witness to a crime, Willis begins to unravel a criminal web, his family's buried history, and what it feels like to be in the spotlight. Interior Chinatown is streaming November 19th, only on Disney+. The flu remains a serious disease. Last season, over 102,000 influenza cases have been reported across Canada, which is nearly double the historic average over 102,000 influenza cases have been reported across Canada, which is nearly double the historic average

of 52,000 cases. What can you do this flu season? Talk to your pharmacist or doctor about getting a flu shot. Consider FluCellVax Quad and help protect yourself from the flu. It's the first cell-based

flu vaccine authorized in Canada for ages six months and older, and it may be available for free in your province. Side effects and allergic reactions can occur, and 100% protection is not guaranteed. Learn more at flucellvax.ca.