Roughly one in 10 employed Vermonters belong to a union, and nearly half of those jobs are in public sectors like government and teaching. The role of organized labor has changed dramatically in recent decades, with union jobs declining in Vermont and nationwide. But organized labor, and how employers have responded to it, has profoundly shaped Vermont's history and culture.
Paul Searls, an author and social sciences associate professor at Lyndon State College, joins Vermont Edition to discuss the influence organized labor has had on Vermont — from the fortunes of industries to the elections of lawmakers — and how labor's decline in Vermont has followed the evolution of its economy.
Also joining the program is Elaine McCrate, a University of Vermont professor of economics and women’s studies, to discuss trends in union membership in Vermont and new ways workers are organizing as traditional industries and unions wane.
Broadcast live on Monday, Oct. 30, 2017 at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
