#MakeNewsies: Why Millennials Are the Unions of Years Past

Last week I had the privilege of attending a performance of “Newsies” with my wife at Atlanta’s historic Fox Theatre. My grandfather, a child of an era just shortly after this story takes place, but a person who faced many similar trials and tribulations as those presented within, first introduced me to “Newsies” when I was 8 or 9 years old. I give a lot of credit to the “Newsies” for igniting my lifelong fascination with the newspaper, and the newspaper industry in general. The story also epitomizes why I admire early 20th Century American culture, for its dichotomy of simplicity and challenge, and ultimately the persistence and perseverance of its people.

For those of you who don’t know “Newsies,” the story takes place in early 1900s New York, and is based on the city’s abundance of paperboys (known as newsies).All of the newsies, with no exception, are extremely poor, many of who are homeless and living on the streets. All are also either recent-immigrants; orphans, estranged from their families or a combination thereof. These boys (no women newsies are ever introduced) are simply trying to survive by selling as many newspapers as necessary to earn a measly dime or two; whatever the bare minimum is to live another day.

But despite less than favorable work conditions and limited financial opportunities, newsies are very passionate about their work and their importance to the newspaper ecosystem. So when their boss, publisher Joseph Pulitzer, raises the price of purchasing 100 papers without first consulting them or without any care to how the price increase will affect their well-being, the newsies feel cheated and disrespected; underappreciated and irrelevant. They’re angry and ready to take action – and they do. In the coming days, the newsies form a union, elect a leader, and vote to go on strike!

The Rise and Demise of the Workers Union

Unions are synonymous with a lot of 20th Century America, when membership peaked at 35% of the working public. Fast forward to present day, however, and regardless of your political views on unions, it is a fact that union membership has decreased to historic lows, with just over 11% of the workforce a dues paying union member as of 2014. Interestingly, union membership continues to decrease despite the rise in employment beyond pre-recession levels.

No matter the intensity of anti-union political discourse, a measly 11% membership rate seems to suggest that Americans of all ages simply aren’t finding value in unions anymore. So then, just how and where are Americans seeking out groups of like-minded individuals with enough authority to persuade change on issues of importance to them? Surely today’s workers remain both interested and invested in how business should embrace leadership, workers rights, fairness, flexibility and equality?

The “Millennial Union”

This may not come as a surprise to you, but there is a very vocal constituency advocating for many of the same principles on which unions were founded – and this group is commonly known as Millennials. Why should bosses care? In just 10 years Millennials will comprise 75% of the workforce.

I am a member of the millennial generation. While we don’t pay dues, and have yet to truly influence elections en mass, we Millennials have an established set of core values, beliefs and expectations – much like those of unions - that are having a profound impact on the workplace.

For example, a 2013 report conducted by PwC, which interviewed over one thousand Millennials, concluded that the majority of us:

• Are unconvinced that excessive work demands are worth the sacrifices to their personal life
• Place a greater emphasis on being supported and appreciated
• Want greater work flexibility

Evidence of this study’s accuracy is vast. For example, Millennials are largely credited with ending the traditional expectations of 9 to 5 work hours. In addition, Millennials have incited change within the traditional corporate hierarchy, particularly by helping to improve vastly outdated compensation structures that limit opportunities for professional development and demote the importance of work-life balance.

Furthermore, Millennials, like unions, are eager to make a difference by fighting against what is deemed as corrupt. According to the Accountability Lab, Millennials “are proving themselves to be hugely committed to working towards greater transparency, accountability and integrity in their countries. A corresponding study led by the World Economic Forum suggests that:

“The two issues regarded as most important by those millennial in the survey are the impact corruption will have on growth and what other impacts it will have on the future, including voting and the public sector as a career choice."

There are now more than 80 million Millennials, making my generation larger than Baby Boomers and 20 percent bigger than Generation X. As a result, we have the benefit of the bully pulpit for the entire population at large. But the Millennial generation, unlike our baby-boomer predecessors, is united by much more than a specific time frame in which we were born. Much like both the newsies of yesteryear and unions, Millennials are united by purpose and a set of established and shared values and beliefs on how we should be treated in the workplace and in the opportunities that the workplace should provide.

I had the opportunity to chat with my friend, Nomiki Konst, who is a regular Fox Business Network and Fox News contributor, and President of the Accountability Project, an organization that investigates misconduct in New York State. Nomiki, who has established herself as one of the most sought out experts on Millenial issues, also sees similarities between union and millennial values:

“While the union fight is not over for workplace fairness, millennial entrepreneurs and leaders have picked up on their message, prioritizing the same values of generations of unions in their 21st century workplace instead of just profits."

Today, Millennials don’t quite represent half of the American workforce, but already our impact is being felt from business to business, and stockroom to boardroom. Whether you’re pro or anti-union in its traditional form, there is no denying that the principles for which unions were established are not being lost among Millennials. Instead, those issues are reemerging in the public discourse and will only continue to do so as the “Millennial Union” gains more status and power. Millennials are already, and will continue to be, the largest union in the world for years to come. The 'Newsies' would be proud of what we’re doing – after all – they paved the way for it.

At AR|PR, we’re driven by a Millennial-centric culture that offers workplace flexibility, unlimited vacation, no dress code, and other “anti-policies.” We believe happy employees equal happy clients. Learn more in Anna Ruth’s blog post on why this culture is so successful. Ready to join our team? Apply here.