Dollar store workers in the South have a labor movement. Just don't call it a union

David Williams is a stocker at a Dollar General store in New Orleans. He's pushing for better work conditions and pay at his store with help from Step Up Louisiana.

Stephan Bisaha / Stephan Bisaha

Before David Williams approaches his fellow Dollar General workers in New Orleans to talk about organizing, he knows the first thing they’ll ask: Are you a union?

He answers with a flat no.

“Once the word union is…out of the way, that’s when we all get together and come up with a plan and figure out how… to fight this,” Williams said.