Within months of becoming an MEA member this year, Dylan Baade joined the bargaining team for his support staff unit at Oakland University and signed up to be a captain in the ESP Bill of Rights campaign.

The reason is simple: Baade has worked in union and non-union settings, and union is better.

“I’m always trying to get involved as much as I can and help my fellow co-workers — trying to make the things that I believe in come true,” he said. “I’m passionate about workers’ rights, workplace democracy, economic and social justice, all of it.”

As a night-shift custodian, Baade takes pride in his work and being part of educating students. “All work has dignity, and no matter what work you do, a job should meet your needs.”

He sees hard-working people juggling two and three jobs just to stay afloat — “walking around with thousand-yard stares” — and remembers when he was that person. “I did it for six months, and I was losing my mind. I don’t know how people do it.”

Without a union, individual workers are vulnerable to exploitation, arbitrary management decisions, and direct targeting. Baade has experienced all of the above at previous jobs in manufacturing and retail.

He once worked for a custodial company that subcontracts cleaning duties, which he described as “chaotic.” No consistency in pay. Unsafe working conditions. Retaliation for speaking up. Eventually he was isolated and fired for leading a union organizing campaign, he says.

Saving money by outsourcing work to such companies dehumanizes people and devalues their labor, Baade said. “When you subcontract out, you’re just bringing in a bunch of people who have no investment in the place or the mission.”

Unions give people a voice, a contract, rights enforcement, which translate into order, consistency, a process for resolving disputes, he said: “All workers should be part of the community because what they contribute matters.”

Baade grew up in Flint and learned union values from his grandfather who belonged to United Auto Workers. He has since read widely on labor law and history and is motivated to share his knowledge, experience and passion as a captain in the ESP Bill of Rights campaign.

He believes the campaign’s six priorities are all equally important to ensure everyone has what they need to be safe and successful, afford necessities, access health care, and enjoy work-life balance.

“I love being a custodian in education. The teachers and paraprofessionals are teaching the future of this country, and we’re a part of that — all the custodians and bus drivers and skilled trades. No one else can do their job if we don’t do ours.”

Related overview: The Michigan ESP Bill of Rights: an engine for advocacy

Learn more about the six elements of the Michigan Bill of Rights campaign through the stories of our featured captains: