Omaha Area Tenant Unions Put Pressure On Landlords

Tenants at four Omaha-area apartment complexes voted to unionize this summer and renters at a fifth are moving in that direction. According to The Flatwater Free Press, though tenant unions have deep roots in big cities, there’s little precedent in Nebraska for the organizations. A founding organizer of Omaha Tenants United said the move is being driven by a growing feeling among tenants that landlords are charging more but doing less to address issues at their properties. Cope said unionization allows tenants to pressure landlords for improvements with a unified voice, limiting fears of retaliation. It remains to be seen whether the efforts will compel landlords to make changes, but tenants say they have grown much closer through the organizing efforts.