Avoiding the Pitfalls of Union Corruption

Corruption and other governance failures in the union movement undermine the positive contribution unions make to any society. Unions represent an important element of democratic governance, providing a political training ground for prospective candidates, campaign funding, electoral support, voter mobilisation and a voice for workers in the political arena. Failure of democratic governance within the union movement has deeper and broader implications for the body politic at large. This paper explores how union corruption in Australia and the United States undermines public faith in the institution of unionism. In the developing world, unions have an equally important role today as their developed world counterparts had in past decades. Unions are the civil society institution best placed to provide protection from worker exploitation, human trafficking, ensure safe working conditions and a living wage. These goals are important elements of a fair society and align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of decent work and economic growth (SDG #8). This research identifies and unpacks some of the governance lessons from this sector of society. The taint of union corruption contributed to political turmoil in Australia that rendered the country ungovernable for an entire term of government. In the United States, a major international union remains under court ordered administration for decades due to infiltration by organised crime. These hard won lessons of unionism provide a framework for developing countries to avoid some of our mistakes.