Organized labor across the country is now setting its sights on housing costs as rents and mortgages continue to soar

Organized labor across the country is now setting its sights on housing costs as rents and mortgages continue to soar

As housing has become a top issue in strikes and protests in recent months, US unions are pushing for change and backing innovative solutions for the housing affordability crisis.

With US house prices and rents rising in recent years, and high interest rates and inflation taking their toll, housing affordability has become a major issue at the bargaining table for US labor unions. Many workers are facing 60-, 90-, even 120-minute commutes to work because they cannott afford to live near their jobs.

Housing has been a big issue in the recent rolling strikes by thousands of Los Angeles hotel workers. In Oregon, 400 Yamhill county government employees went on strike in November because, the union said, “many workers are not able to afford housing”. In the Twin Cities, worker dismay about large rent hikes is fueling plans for a multi-union strike by up to 30,000 workers in March. When San Francisco hotel workers hold contract talks later this year, housing affordability will be a top issue.

  • Flying Squid
    20•9 months ago

    I don’t know that I agree with that, and I say that as someone with a massive amount of medical debt. Putting someone in a home is more important than getting them socialized medical care. Both are very important, but your health is not going to improve if you live on the streets or in your car. And homelessness is booming.

    I absolutely want socialized medicine in the U.S. No question. But homelessness in the U.S. is at record levels. And many of them have jobs, they just don’t have homes they can afford. This is a major crisis.

    https://www.cbsnews.com/news/homeless-record-america-12-percent-jump-high-rents/

    • Snot FlickermanEnglish
      7•9 months ago

      Exactly. The ACA made it so the homeless could get medical care without going broke. In my state, they’re mostly fully covered if they’ve bothered to apply for it.

      However, most homeless organizations still push a “housing first” model because access to medical care doesn’t really make life on the street any better. In fact, being on the street leads to higher instances of needing emergency services. When people have a “home” to go to, you’ll less often needing to be treating them for frostbite in the middle of winter, for example.

      A place to stay would drastically reduce the near-constant need for emergency services of this vulnerable population.

      • @reddig33
        3•9 months ago

        I think you put too much faith in the ACA. It’s still insurance — with all the copays, hoops, and “not covereds” that comes with.

        People who have huge medical debts lose their homes. People with addiction problems can’t take care of themselves and keep a home. People who have chronic health problems can’t hold down a job without ongoing treatment. Being able to walk into a clinic and get the help you need means that your income can be spent on other things (like food, clothing, and shelter).

      • @[email protected]
        2•9 months ago

        housing has always been the biggest problem in urban areas imo because something basic as getting a job is tied to having a permanent adress. applying for freeidical care is fairly easy (i did it a few years back when i held a part time job pre covid), and the health care org still sends me mail, despite myself having a different plan now at a different job. finding a roof over your head just gets progressively worse and theres no immediate signs of it getting better, making it the #1 problem.

    • @[email protected]
      6•9 months ago

      Putting someone in a home is more important than getting them socialized medical care

      I get your point and I agree, but allow me to reframe this dichotomy a little: housing is health care - it literally saves lives. These issues are intertwined, and socialized housing should be part of a socialized health care strategy.

      • Flying Squid
        6•9 months ago

        Semantically, sure. Practically and politically, they have to be dealt with as separate issues since they require completely different people with completely different areas of expertise. You might be able to put socialized housing into a socialized medicine bill, but considering how unlikely either of those are in the current American climate, putting them together makes it even more unlikely.