Supporting Workers' Rights: Understanding Unionization's Impact with Jalen Alexander
Release Date: 06/06/2024
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info_outlineIn this episode of the Well Aware Podcast, host Conrad Ruiz talks with Jalen Alexander, the union president at MDRC, about how they formed a union at their workplace. Jalen shares the ups and downs of the process, like getting better pay and job security for everyone. They also discuss why unions matter in the U.S., especially for fixing economic unfairness. Conrad shares his own experiences managing virtual assistants and gives a balanced view on unions. This episode shows how listening to workers can make a workplace better for everyone.
00:00 Introduction to the Well Aware Podcast
00:25 Meet Jalen Alexander: Union President at MDRC
00:57 The Journey of Unionization at MDRC 02:25 Unionization in the Broader Context
06:01 Challenges and Achievements in Union Negotiations
07:43 The Impact of Unionization on MDRC
12:28 Organizing a Union: Steps and Strategies
16:53 The Benefits and Challenges of Unionization
20:06 Addressing Inequities and Fair Pay
23:51 The Cost of Employee Turnover
25:18 Transparency in Pay and Benefits
25:59 Personal Experience with Transparency
27:46 Challenges of Fair Compensation
30:17 Listening to Workers' Insights
37:11 The Value of Fair Wages
43:13 Final Thoughts and Union Resources
Today’s Guest:
A researcher, project manager, and problem solver, Jalen Alexander conducts applied research to impact policy and empower people to own their data stories. He works to continually connect his profession, research, and service within the classroom to his passion for education and desire to find real-world solutions to today’s big problems. Jalen has published in the fields of education, public health, and neurosurgery bringing attention to systemic inequities and analyzing new paths forward.
Jalen currently serves as the Process Improvement Specialist at MDRC, a leading policy think tank committed to finding solutions to improve the lives of low-income individuals, families, and children. He is also the President of MDRC’s labor union, Social Policy Workers United (SPWU). Additionally, Jalen independently serves as a consultant to new and experienced researchers providing training and insights on data collection, analysis, and reporting processes.
Union Website: https://www.socialpolicyworkersunited.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jalen2kool/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_jalen2kool
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jalenalexander2014/
Well Aware Website: https://wearewellaware.com/
Conrad Ruiz's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conradruiz/
Well Aware LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/well-aware-inc/