Urban Governance and Politics in New York City: The Role of Trade Unions since 1945

New York State has the highest density of union organisation of any US state, and New York City (NYC), the highest of any large city. Drawing on the extant literature, the aim is to reinterpret the role of NYC unions in politics and governance since 1945 by employing a Regulation Approach. After the second war, NYC unions helped build a local “welfare state”. Union leaders exerted hierarchical control that well suited involvement in elite policy networks linking to the Democratic Party machine and, sometimes, organised crime. By the late 1960’s the welfare settlement faltered. The 1975 NYC financial crisis disrupted networks and checked public sector expansion. A city crisis management regime engaged union leaders in helping to resolve the financial problem, with municipal unions accepting cuts in public services and incursions on membership pensions and benefits. The crisis was a dress rehearsal for 1980s neoliberalism. Organised labour came under mounting pressure, with old style “business unionism” becoming increasingly ill suited to the dynamic of the “global city”. Nevertheless, unions drew strength from the public sector. The local state required public investment, and private interests benefitted from public procurement, debt servicing and contracted services. A coincidence of union and private interests produced a “stand-off” between unions and ostensible libertarians that helped unions in defending public services. However, the 2007 crisis fanned opposition to “NYC socialism” with Tea Partygoers perceiving an “iron triangle” of unions, city and Democratic Party devouring “profligate” public spending. To survive the onslaught, unions have adopted more diverse strategies. They endorse liberal politicians like Mayor De Blasio, support liberal PACs and manage political networks including at state level. They are increasingly outreaching to new members through worker centres and community involvement.