Member Story: Workers Across the Country Are Under Attack. Here’s How to Fight Back
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Steven Tifft and his Son
In the face of mass dismissals in the public and private sectors, plus a new federal administration bent on stripping away workers’ rights, it can be hard to know how best to protect ourselves, our families, and our communities. But in an article for The Chronicle, Steven Trifft, an environmental services worker at Providence Centralia Health Center, lays out a pretty convincing path forward:
“...Having a union will not solve all your problems, and not all unions are equal, but it is a fact that workers who have a union at work and who make their union active and stand together with coworkers are far better off than workers in the same industries who do not have a union.
If you are one of the tens of millions of workers across the country who do not have a union, but think you might want one, now is a good time to act.”
Trifft would know. He’s worked at Providence Centralia for more than two years, and he’s served as a shop steward since 2023. He also served on the bargaining team, where he helped win a new union contract for those healthcare workers in Lewis County. Among other things, the contract put more money in the pockets of workers through across-the-board wage increases and other increases based on experience.
Importantly, Trifft didn’t have to engage in any sort of bank-shot political process to secure those wins. All he and his coworkers had to do was come together as a union, sit across the table from the employer, and remain united during negotiations. But that solidarity didn’t end when bargaining did. They had to stay engaged as a union to enforce the new contract and to build power. As Trifft argues, the process can be challenging and “far from perfect,” but ultimately we win a better workplace for all.
“Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.”
“...Having a union will not solve all your problems, and not all unions are equal, but it is a fact that workers who have a union at work and who make their union active and stand together with coworkers are far better off than workers in the same industries who do not have a union.
If you are one of the tens of millions of workers across the country who do not have a union, but think you might want one, now is a good time to act.”
Trifft would know. He’s worked at Providence Centralia for more than two years, and he’s served as a shop steward since 2023. He also served on the bargaining team, where he helped win a new union contract for those healthcare workers in Lewis County. Among other things, the contract put more money in the pockets of workers through across-the-board wage increases and other increases based on experience.
Importantly, Trifft didn’t have to engage in any sort of bank-shot political process to secure those wins. All he and his coworkers had to do was come together as a union, sit across the table from the employer, and remain united during negotiations. But that solidarity didn’t end when bargaining did. They had to stay engaged as a union to enforce the new contract and to build power. As Trifft argues, the process can be challenging and “far from perfect,” but ultimately we win a better workplace for all.
