While reading a book about framing that I highly recommend, Frank Luntz’s Words that Work, I found the common phrase union bosses on page 91. It brings to mind a time when some labor unions were thought to be closely associated with political machines and organized crime. I haven’t heard of such associations being a big problem today. Have you?
Besides deceptively bringing to mind long-gone bad old days, union bosses also might confuse the listener about who the boss really is: the elected leaders of labor unions or management.
If you share this concern, please consider talking about duly elected union leaders when others mention union bosses.
What do you think? Does it matter if Framologists accept the phrase union bosses?
I have not heard “union bosses” for many, many years. It’s always been “union leaders” in the communities where we have lived. Even though many accusations were made against the United Auto Workers when Maytag collapsed, it was always “union leaders” and “management.”