History of Trade Unions and NTUC A trade union is an organized group of employees in a particular sector, whose aim is to negotiate with employers over pay, job security, working hours by using the collective power of the members. They are funded by subscriptions from union members, and often offer legal advice and strike pay during disputes when members refuse to work. In general, the union is there to represent the interests of its members, and may even engage in social and political activities where legislation affects their members. During the Industrial Revolution period, workers were frequently exploited by their employers. Due to the lack of job security, long working hours and unsafe working conditions, workers formed unions to fight for their own working rights (Tan 1955). The first trade union in Singapore was form in 1940 when the Trade Union Ordinance was enacted. After the Second World War, the union activities were mainly on political struggles for independence from the British colonial government (Tan, 2004). The trade union movements are segregated into different unions. Examples of such unions in Singapore include National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), Singapore Association of Trade Unions (SATU), Naval Base workers union and Singapore Harbour Staff Association. In 1963, SATU was immobilized by the government on the ground that they were dominated by communists. With the legal machinery working overtime against SATU, seven SATU unions with over 50,000 members were deregistered and subsequently dissolved. Eventually the other unions slowly followed the same fate. At the same time with the success of People’s Action Party (PAP) and NTUC soon became the national trade union (Hatchard & Kessaris 2003... ... middle of paper ... ...rong partner in the economical progress of Singapore, strengthening the stability and flexibility of our economy. Unions must also be able to adapt to the knowledge economy and understand the needs of workers in this new economy. Unions must therefore work together with the government in order to achieve future success (Ministry of Trade and Industry, 2007). Conclusion Although union membership has been declining over the years, I believe that NTUC and trade unions have a promising future ahead if they have a better understanding of the economy and the needs of the workers. Furthermore, unions must not only continue to do what they have been doing over the years but use various innovative strategies and tactics to reach out to the new emerging generations.
After the industrialization, machine became so important that workers’ excellent skill was not necessary anymore. So talented workers were no more valuable. Entrepreneurs could easily hire cheaper workers to run the machine, which lower the workers’ salaries in a certain degree. Then of course workers wanted to gain equality with their employers like what they lived before. Therefore, workers established Unions to protect their own benefits.
Throughout the history of the United States of America the continuation of misfortunes for the workforce has aggravated people to their apex, eventually leading to the development of labor unions.
Union affiliation was first seen in the 1600’s when the roots of the United States were just being planted with skilled trade groups such as artisans, laborers, goldsmiths and printers. Over the next two hundred years, unions developed their desires for higher wages through the use of strikes and protests. The nation’s progress spurred the need for more labor and so began the Industrial Revolution. During the Revolution, many union members began to witness the power that employers had and as a result decided to make use of the concept of power in numbers. The National Labor Union formed in 1866 and worked to persuade congress to set a Federal eight-hour workday, which applied to government employees (Miller). Many large unions formed following in the NLU’s footsteps and uni...
Unions were looked down upon and often scoffed at by factory owners. England even went through a period where unions were outlawed because of how liberal they were. People during the time of the Industrial Revolution were taken advantage of and were not paid as much as they should have been. One protester was set up at a train station protesting “against the triumph of machinery and the gain and glory which the wealthy. men were likely to derive from it,” (Document 2).
Although factories allowed their skilled workers to keep their jobs, they expected them to take a pay cut. Also, with the pay cut, the skilled workers were forced to give up the skilled work that they took pride in. With workers becoming frustrated with not having freedom and, skilled workers not being treated fairly, unions were created. After factories became industrialized, trade unions were being created for workers with similar frustrations and views.
To begin, we need to look towards the first recorded instance of a labor union in the United States, a union known as the Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers (http://www.lovkoandking.com/federal-society-of-journeymen-cordwainers---commonwealth-v-pullis.html). In 1794, a group of cordwainers, shoemakers, in Philadelphia banded together to form the United States’ first form of organized labor union through a series of strikes....
The United States’s industrialization lead to a great boom in both economic and population growth, allowing businesses to flourish. With more money and workers at their disposal, employers often would often mistreat workers, suddenly cutting their wages or firing them. With only profit in mind, industries eventually became monopolized and the conditions of workers only worsened. Defenseless and barely able to survive, laborers soon found power in uniting with each other, leading to the establishment of American labor unions during the Gilded Age. They provided workers with necessary protection from their employers’ capricious decisions, and while their presence elicited fear in business owners, unions eventually bettered the standard of living for the American proletarian through compromise.
Unionism can be described as "a continuous association of wage-earners for the purpose of maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment"(Smelser). This means that a group of workers can unite to gain more power and leverage in bargaining. The bargaining may include many aspects but usually consists of wages, benefits, terms and conditions of employment. The notion of union came about in the 1700's. In the beginning as it is today workers united to "defend the autonomy and dignity of the craftsman against the growing power of the company" (Montgomery).
There were several specific labor unions and strikes that affected the general public. In 1866, the National Labor Union was formed. Their main goal was the 8-hour work day. The National Labor Union did have some setbacks in achieving this goal; one in partic...
According to the textbook, labor union are “group of individuals working together to achieve shared job-related goals” (P.331) . Mainly these shared job-related goals could be need for salary/wages increase,
Labor unions in the late 1800's set out to improve the lives of frequently abused workers. Volatile issues like the eight-hour workday, ridiculously low pay and unfair company town practices were often the fuses that lit explosive conflicts between unions and monopolistic industrialists. Some of the most violent and important conflicts of the time were the Haymarket Affair and the Pullman strike. Each set out to with similar goals and both ended with horrifying consequences.
Throughout American history, labor unions have served to facilitate mediation between workers and employers. Workers seek to negotiate with employers for more control over their labor and its fruits. “A labor union can best be defined as an organization that exists for the purpose of representing its members to their employers regarding wages and terms and conditions of employment” (Hunter). Labor unions’ principal objectives are to increase wages, shorten work days, achieve greater benefits, and improve working conditions. Despite these goals, the early years of union formation were characterized by difficulties (Hunter).
Unions have an extensive history of standing up for workers. They have advocated rights of steelworkers, coal miners, clothing factory employees, teachers, health care workers, and many others. The labor movement is based on the idea that organized workers as a group have more power than individuals would have on their own. The key purpose of any union is to negotiate contracts, making sure workers are respected and fairly compensated for their work. “In theory” unions are democratic organizations, resulting in varying inner authority. Workers look for security within a job a...
Stohr, Greg. “Union Fees Debated in Supreme Court Case Over Labor Power.” Bloomberg.com. 21 January 2014. Web. 17 April 2014.
Working conditions during the industrial revolution made labor laws and rights happen. Thinking back to the 19th century in England, working conditions have improved tremendously. Unfortunately it had to start with devastating conditions of employment for people, but look at where England is today.