December 2025

As I began the brainstorming process for this article, I found myself torn between an upbeat year-end message and multiple article ideas addressing the multitude of headwinds facing organized working-class Americans.  Ultimately, I decided on a hybrid approach based on my conundrum: a heartfelt seasonal message and a couple of synopses of potential articles to come.

As this edition of the Labor News is being mailed, most of us will be in the middle of the holiday season.  Traditionally, that also means the giving season.  This giving spirit is no more evident than in the results of the many acts of kindness and successful charitable fundraisers by our Lansing-area UAW members.  Though the full results are currently not in, it’s clear that Lansing labor is going to knock it out of the park once again for those in unfortunate situations.

These successful acts of kindness are only possible because of our collective efforts, and this collectiveness leads us to our first headwind.  It has become apparent that the current environment of hyper-partisanship and treating government like a team sport has no immediate cure.  These ideologies and the process of collectiveness are generally incompatible.  No matter your believed affiliation to politics, the data does not lie; the working class is losing ground faster than ever before.  We are teetering on the edge of a reborn Gilded Age.  Until there is a solution to the aforementioned issue of divisiveness, we must somehow put those differences aside and work collectively to grow union density and diminish the power of the ultrawealthy.

The topics of collectiveness and union density bring us to the UAW elections in the upcoming year. To succeed and create a fairer playing field with corporations and the ultrawealthy, unions must hold power. Unions derive strength from their members. When a high density of union members in the American workforce shares common interests, that is how we will rebuild the middle class. Our union leaders will need to keep fighting to organize more workers. They must be creative in their efforts to educate members about the importance of collective action over individualism. They will need to put aside internal conflicts and resist temptations arising from the new direct election system. With member support, those leaders will need to continue refining our membership lists. Most importantly, they must emphasize that being a union member is not a fee-for-service arrangement; it’s about collective strength made possible by everyone doing their part.

So, as we ready ourselves for the headwinds of the new year, please also take the time to celebrate the successes of 2025 and enjoy the magic of this season.  Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year!

Matt