49. How unions can improve employee welfare while keeping firms competitive

Mr. Andy Stern has been a labor leader and activist since 1973. He began his bachelor’s degree in business at the University of Pennsylvania, but would eventually finish his degree in urban planning. He started his career as a welfare caseworker for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and eventually was elected Union President. He is a Senior Fellow at Georgetown University, Columbia, and the Economic Security Project. He is the author of Raising the Floor, A Country That Works, Oil: From Rockefeller to Iraq, and Who Won the Oil Wars? Most revolve around building a more egalitarian and cooperative approach to economic growth. Stern’s approach to bargaining and leadership has always been to find common ground with people he finds disagreeable. Together we discussed his negotiating techniques, what the true goal of unions should be, and how to strike a balance between improving employees’ lives while keeping employers competitive.  To check out more of our content, including our research, visit our website: https://www.hgsss.org/