Organized labor is having a moment in America. Strikes by Hollywood writers and auto workers in Michigan show how unions are flexing their muscle in response to changes in technology. At the same time, corporate giants like Amazon and Starbucks have squelched the impact of organizing among their employees. Here in Rhode Island, organized labor remains an influential force at the Statehouse. One familiar face in that movement, Pat Crowley of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO, is poised to take over the leadership of that union. So can labor maintain its local relevance? Do expanded benefits for public employees come at the expense of taxpayers? And what role can unions play in addressing income inequality and the economic anxiety felt by many Americans? I’m Ian Donnis and this week I’m going in depth with secretary-treasurer of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO Pat Crowley.
Ian Donnis: Welcome to The Public’s Radio. Let’s start with some news. You’re taking on an expanded role at the start of the new year with the Rhode Island AFL-CIO. As the union’s current president George Nee, a one time bodyguard for Cesar Chavez and a longtime icon in the local labor movement moves to a part time role. What is the significance of this change?
Pat Crowley: Well, after 18 years of working for NEA Rhode Island, I’m going to be joining the AFL CIO full time.
Ian Donnis: And NEA Rhode Island his one of the state’s largest teachers unions.
Pat Crowley: Correct. You know, George Nee has been a fixture in the labor movement in Rhode Island for four decades. And he’s been a tremendous mentor to me. But it does signify that there’s going to be a transition over the next year. And it’s going to be an exciting change. That’s going to bring a lot of interest in the labor movement, I hope, but George is still going to be around to make sure that I do my job and that the work that he’s done continues on.
Ian Donnis: Will you take on the title of president of the Rhode Island AFL CIO.
Pat Crowley: No, not until George retires, which is up to him when that’s actually going to happen. You know, he’s been such a fixture in the in the community, you know, he deserves the time to make that decision on his own. What is your
Ian Donnis: What is your vision for the future of the Rhode Island, AFL-CIO?
Pat Crowley: I want to make sure that we focus a lot more on organizing the unorganized workers. We’ve done a lot of work in the last couple of years, with our affiliates, making sure that we set the groundwork to make sure that workers have a voice on the job. And I think we can expand that a lot more changing some state laws giving some people the more the right to organize, and making sure that all of our affiliates have the resources they need to get that done.
Ian Donnis: Organized labor has taken on a higher profile recently with the writers strike in Hollywood auto workers strike in Michigan. At the same time, the percentage of Americans who belong to a labor union fell to a historic low last year 10.1% as measured by the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. So how would you describe what the current moment means for organized labor? And what would it really take to expand the labor movement
Pat Crowley: Sure. Ian, since September one of this year 330,000, workers have been out on strike fighting for better pay and better working conditions. And I think that says two things about where we are as a country. First, workers are fed up with an economy that creates haves and have nots. And they see that the economy has been working for the 1% Very well, the ratio of CEO pay to worker pay is now 350 to one, when in 1965. It was 20 to one. So I think workers are fed up with things that don’t work for their favor. Second, I think what we’re seeing is a new generation of labor leaders coming into their ascendancy. You know, Liz Shula, the president of the National AFL CIO is only 52 years old, Sean O’Brien, who’s the president of the Teamsters has 52. Shawn Fain, the President of the United Auto Workers is 54. So I think this, this new crop of leadership entered the labor movement into the mid 90s. And for decades now, the corporate class has thrown everything, including the kitchen sink at us trying to kill labor unions, it didn’t work. So now I think it’s our turn to to bring the fight back to them. And I think the workers are responding, because they know that we need an economy that serves their needs and their family’s needs, not the 1%
Ian Donnis: You refer to the issue of income inequality, what can be done here in Rhode Island to make bigger a bigger difference on that issue?
Pat Crowley: I think first and foremost, we need to continue raising the minimum wage. You know, we’re scheduled to get up to $15 an hour, but by the time we get there, $15 an hour won’t be enough. So it would be a good idea for the General Assembly to start looking at raising the minimum wage above $15 an hour starting this year, rather than waiting till we get there. The second thing, and I mean this in all sincerity, that we need to make sure that we expand the opportunities for workers to join unions. One of the laws that was passed in Maine and Connecticut last year, and we’re going to look at here in Rhode Island, this upcoming session is to make what’s called captive audience meetings illegal within the state’s borders. A captive audience meeting is really an opportunity for union busters to scare the living daylights out of workers while they’re trying to organize. If workers have a free right to organize, then I think we’ll be able to raise wages and benefits across the entire community.
Ian Donnis: We’ve seen how corporations like Amazon and Starbucks have been able to marginalize organizing efforts by their employees like even after the organization of a union at an Amazon facility in New York. What does that show about the limitations of the labor movement?
Pat Crowley: It doesn’t show any limitations about the labor movement. What it shows us that labor law is broken in the United States. We’re operating under a law that was written in 1935 in very different circumstances. And for 80 years now, the corporate class has worked to undermine the intention of that law. We need to make sure that we pass things Like the ProAct, to modernize our labor law, give people and give workers a free hand to form their unions, because opinion polls show that while we are only 10% of the workforce as members of unions, 70% of the people in the United States support our cause. That’s a massive disconnect between reality and the state of the law, and it needs to be updated.
Pat Crowley: We’re talking here with Pat Crowley, secretary treasurer of the Rhode Island AFL CIO, do you anticipate any organizing efforts at the Amazon facility in Johnston?
Pat Crowley: Oh, I, I’m not privy to any information about that now. I would think that we will be heavily involved with trying to make sure that those workers understand what their rights are, and making sure that if they do want a union, that the AFL CIO and all of our affiliates will be there to support them.
Ian Donnis: You have for years been part of the leadership at the National Education Association – Rhode Island, one of the state’s largest teacher unions, what’s your explanation for why Rhode Island has struggled for so many years to try to improve public schools and student performance?
Pat Crowley: Oh, I think there’s a number of different reasons. First, let me say something about NEA Rhode Island, the changes that are happening, there are just fun to watch. We have a new dynamic leader in our president Val Lawson, we have a new incredible leader in our Executive Director, Mary Barden, two very strong, capable women that are running an incredibly important organization in the state. And I know they’ll both do a good job. But from an education point of view, I think what we’ve tried to do over the last 20 years just hasn’t worked. We’ve created a parallel school system in the state between traditional schools and public charter schools. That didn’t work. So we’ve got to stop doing the things that don’t work, and get back to focusing on making sure that every student has their needs met in school, so that every student can get a free lunch if they need to every school provides breakfast every schools provides mental health services and social work services because students don’t enter the classroom as a blank slate. They bring all of their trauma, all of their background and histories and into the classroom. And we’ve ignored that for too long.
Ian Donnis: You were named this week by State Treasurer James Diossa. To a panel that’s going to review the 2011 pension overhaul, spearheaded by then treasurer Gina Raimondo. Now the US Commerce Secretary. At the time, Raimondo said these changes, like the suspension of cost of living adjustments were necessary to ensure the sustainability of the pension plan. Do you agree with that?
Pat Crowley: Well, I think the times now are very different than they were in 2011. And I think it’s important for us to take a a clear look at what are the results of that change. So for example, one of the things that we’ve noticed is that there is a lack of, you know, there’s 1000 fewer state workers today than they were in 2011. There are 1000 current job openings in the state workforce. One of the things that we’ve seen around the country and studies have shown this is that by shifting from traditional pension plans, to 401 K style plans is a contributing factor to states not being able to hire workers. So I think we’ve got to take a hard look at what that will do. The second element of it is that we need to find a balance between not just the retirees and their COLAs and their benefits, but also how we impacted the active workers, because the active workers have to work an additional decade, if not longer, for a much reduced benefit than the retirees got. So we’ve got to find the right balance to make sure everyone’s interests are protected. And I hope this commission is going to take a hard look at the ways that we could do that.
Ian Donnis: One of your other roles is serving as a board member of RIPTA. You’ve been aligned with state DOT director Peter Alviti. And criticizing RIPTA head, Scott Avedesian. Isn’t the fundamental problem for RIPTA and public transit in Rhode Island that RIPTA has really lacked a sustainable long term funding source?
Pat Crowley: Well, I’m very proud of my work at RIPTA. I was honored to be nominated by the governor and confirmed by the Senate to take that job. When I joined though, a year and a half ago, I think I was you know, like a lot of Rhode Islanders don’t see RIPTA fulfilling its mission. But when I walked into that boardroom, I was surprised to find that everyone within that boardroom thought everything was fine, nothing was wrong. I can’t — I believe that we need to shake things up. And I’m going to continue to try to shake things up. So that RIPTA gets the resources it needs for sure. But also so that the agency takes a broader look at how it could service all of Rhode Island. And I think we need to do a better job over there to do that.
Ian Donnis: But isn’t the underlying issue been for many years, you know, outside of some COVID money that it just hasn’t had adequate money to really have a more extreme answer of level of public transit.
Pat Crowley: I absolutely agree with that. But at the same time, the agency hasn’t done a good enough job explaining to the people of Rhode Island why it deserves to be funded at a better level. And that’s one of the reasons why shaking things up over there is important, because if we can prove to the people of Rhode Island that RIPTA serves the purpose that it’s intended to, I know that the people of Rhode Island including our elected leaders will provide the funding to get the job done.
Ian Donnis: You’re a very ardent Democrat, so I wonder, why do you think at a national level, Republicans and conservatives have been so much more effective at organizing to the point where they’ve been able to shift the US Supreme Court in a more conservative way?
Pat Crowley: Well, I think part of that is the big money that goes into politics. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse has been adamant about how dark money has influenced everything from school council races to State House races to federal races. And I think they’ve used their money from the corporate class to rig the system. And I think as people are starting to become more aware of that and find out what the outcome is, they’re starting to realize that we’ve got to pay more attention at of politics at every single level of government to make sure that the Republican Party, especially the MAGA Republicans in Washington, don’t continue to rig the system against the needs of everyday working people.
Ian Donnis: You’re a resident of Lincoln, where’s the best place to eat in your town?
Pat Crowley: Oh, my favorite place to eat is The Lodge on Breakneck Hill Road. It’s a great place. It’s right off the exit of 146. I would encourage anyone to get a meal there.
Ian Donnis: Pat Crowley, secretary treasurer of the Rhode Island AFL CIO, thank you very much for joining us.
Pat Crowley: Thank you, Ian.
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Providence Mayor Brett Smiley will not implement a bike lane that was tested on Hope Street last year by his predecessor, cycling enthusiast Jorge Elorza. But are concerns about how bike lanes affect parking spaces overstated? In the area around Hope and Rochambeau on the East Side, after all, nearby side streets offer plenty of parking. You can read more about this in my weekly TGIF column, posting around 4 this afternoon on what used to be known as Twitter and at The Public’s Radio dot org.
That’s our show for this week. Our producer is James Baumgartner.
I’m Ian Donnis and I’ll see you on the radio.