The impacts of social media and the rise of individualism are becoming increasingly evident in our society. Social media feeds us content designed to provoke reactions. Anger and outrage abound, attention spans get shorter, society grows more fragmented, patience runs thin. We are witnessing an increasing polarization of opinions.
All of this is concerning for our ability to build connections, to care for one another and to collectively make things better. It affects our collective and individual mental health and our solidarity.
The strength of unions lies in doing the exact opposite – bringing people together, finding what unites us and taking collective action to improve our working and living standards. Unions create a sense of belonging in our workplaces, which has always been essential in our society. Our union life is, in a way, an antidote to polarization and increasing individualism.
More than ever, what happens in our workplaces is crucial. Discussions occur, bonds of solidarity are forged and people from different backgrounds cultivate a shared desire to thrive in a healthy work environment that promotes a better quality of life.
We know that the first step in bargaining is to listen to members’ views and priorities. It’s also the last step, when members vote on the outcome of the process. And for the duration of a collective agreement, members listen to one another, support one another and practise solidarity, every day.
Despite anti-union attacks and attempts by bosses and powerful right-wing forces to isolate workers and pit people against one another, unions are keeping solidarity alive.
Listening to one another is key to solidarity. It means cultivating our ability to debate calmly, to consider other perspectives, to put ourselves in their shoes, to be open to an evolution of our views. Through listening we can better understand one another and work toward a common goal. Listening to one another is an act of union solidarity.
In solidarity,
Nicolas Lapierre
USW District 5 Director
This article appears in the Winter 2025 issue of USW@Work magazine.
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