Jake Rosenfeld demonstrates brilliantly and authoritatively that the decline of American unions is a chief cause of the staggering rise in economic inequality. This is an important book that anyone who wants to know how our middle class dwindled and how we can rebuild it should read.

We know that the decline of unionism has deformed American politics, but until now that understanding has often been impressionistic. Jake Rosenfeld deploys the tools of a sophisticated historical sociologist to demonstrate precisely how, why, and where. He gives precision, chronology, and causality to some of our most pressing social concerns, from the voting propensities of public sector employees to the impact of unionism on civic engagement among working-class Hispanics. Historians of labor must read this terrific book.

Jake Rosenfeld offers an engaging account of the decline of organized labor in the United States and an important call to action. Complete with extensive data, charts, and an unsparing, investigative style, What Unions No Longer Do captures the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ of de-unionization and why we should all be concerned. This is a sobering story for anyone who cares about social and economic justice and who aspires to provide a better life for the generation that follows.

What Unions No Longer Do sets a new standard for research on the economic, social, and political consequences of the dramatic decline of American unions. Deeply researched, analytically sophisticated, and engagingly written, this is the book to read if you want to understand what unions used to do to lessen inequality and empower workers—and what our nation has lost as their strength has waned.