The Real Cost of Union Busting Is Much Higher Than You Think
A new study reveals that employers are spending big to maintain their dictatorial control over the workplace and crush unions. It’s a daunting amount of money, but it’s not impossible to overcome if workers can act with clarity, unity, and strategy.
Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz testifies before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill on March 29, 2023, in Washington, DC. (Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images)
The most militant class warriors in the United States aren’t New York City nurses, UPS delivery drivers, or Midwestern autoworkers. They’re employers who are willing to spend big to maintain their dictatorial control over the workplace in the pursuit of maximizing profits.
A new study conducted by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) and LaborLab estimates that employers spent about $1.7 billion on union avoidance specialists and union-busting attorneys in 2024. The jointly authored report is one the most expansive and thorough estimates of union avoidance costs performed in decades.
“Seventy percent of Americans support unions, and millions would join one if they could. The report shows how far employers are willing to go to keep the deck stacked against workers,” said Bob Funk, founder and executive director of LaborLab. “Union busting is a profitable investment, because it provides employers with a bulwark against both workers and public scrutiny.”
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