Labor Unions

1479 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Unions increase productivity

Introduction Labor unions are a heavily debated topic throughout the world, particularly in the United States (US). Even the US political system is divided on the subject; Democrats are typically strongly in support of and supported by labor unions whereas, Republicans typically favor corporate rights or free market economy. There is now hindsight prospective on the need for unions during the industrial revolution. Both sides of the argument can usually agree that working conditions were unsafe and compensation was unjust in the early history of labor unions. Many works of scholarly writing provides evidence of the need for unionization in the mid-19th century in America. The basis of today’s opposition’s argument is that unions have outgrown their usefulness and can be harmful to American businesses and the economy as a whole. The opposition’s argument has some merit and supporting evidence albeit with personal and political bias. The conclusion this paper must draw is that if it is true that there was a need for unions and that they have become impractical then there must have been a time period where the relationship between company and union was optimal. The purpose of this paper is to determine the characteristics of that optimal time period and how to achieve or recreate them. Scope Purpose of Scope The scope of the dissertation will be limited to the US. The limitation to the US is essential to limit the number of variables, or factors, that influence evidence that could contradict or convolute the conclusion. All countries throughout the world have their own culture, governments and customs that dictate labor and business practices. The countries have also developed at different rates and in different time periods. It... ... middle of paper ... ... 13-13. Isidore, C., & O'Toole, J. (2012). Hostess Brands closing for good, CNN Money. Retrieved from http://money.cnn.com/2012/11/16/news/companies/hostess-closing/ National Labor Relations Act, 29 U.S.C. § 151–169 (1935). OECD, & Visser, J. (2013). Trade Union Density: Institutional Characteristics of Trade Unions, Wage Setting, State Intervention and Social Pacts. Ozanian, M. (2013). The Most Valuable NFL Teams, Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2013/08/14/the-most-valuable-nfl-teams/ Thieblot, A. J. (2006). Perspectives on Union Corruption: Lessons from the Databases. Journal of Labor Research, 27(4), 513-536. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12122-006-1018-8 Union Privilege. (2013). The history of labor unions & fight for fairness at work. Retrieved December 5th, 2013, from http://www.unionplus.org/about/labor-unions/history-origin

Show More
Related

  • Organized Labor Union of the late 1800s and its Impact Today

    1714 Words  | 4 Pages

    Modern democratic ideas were sprouting in America, especially within the organized labor movement from 1875 to 1900. During this period, blue-collar industrial Americans sought to abate their plight through the formal use of collective bargaining and the voice of the masses; seeking to use their strength in numbers against the pocket-heavy trusts. America’s rise in unions can be traced back to 1792, when workers in Philadelphia formed America’s first union, which instituted the avant-garde method of collective bargaining. It is because of these grass roots that America’s organized labor has continued to grow to this day, however unchallenged. The challenges unions face today stem directly from the challenges faced in 1875.

    Read More

  • Final Paper

    1312 Words  | 3 Pages

    David Brody argues that the rise of contractual or collective bargaining relationships during the post WWII era formalized the relationship between employers and unions, but simultaneously began to put a break on shop floor activism. Explain Brody’s argument and, where relevant, incorporate Weber’s theory of bureaucracy.

    Read More

  • Labor Unions and Effects on the Lives of Factory Workers

    667 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Industrial Revolution that took place after the Civil War made for a more economically sound country. American workers, however, were becoming more and more dependent upon their wages; a fear of unemployment also stemmed from this. Workers didn’t share in the benefits that their employers reaped. In a chart representing the hours and wages of industrial workers, from 1875 to 1891, it shows that even though their wages were subtly increasing, their 10-hour work day remained the same (Doc. A). Factories were headed by large corporations; this, in turn, meant that new machines lessened the amount of workers in certain fields. As a result of these unsuitable conditions, labor unions were formed. The challenges that these unions faced weren’t easy. If the workers involved in organized labor got too far out of line, these corporations could get federal authorities involved. Moreover, these companies could enforce “ironclad oaths” upon their employees. In a Western Union Telegraph Company employee contract, in 1883, it states that the employee will not be affiliated with any societies or organizations (Doc. E). Despite such setbacks, by 1872 there were over 32 national unions.

    Read More

  • Decline of Union Membership

    2292 Words  | 5 Pages

    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...

    Read More

  • Labor Unions In The 1800's

    1440 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Why Do Labor Unions Matter?

    1610 Words  | 4 Pages

    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...

    Read More

  • Labor Union

    681 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the Gilded Age activists tried improving the conditions of workers and the poor in many ways. In a few ways they were moderately successful but mostly philanthropists didn’t succeed. Between 1875 and 1900 the organized labor, overall, didn’t improve the position of the workers, making them unsuccessful.

    Read More

  • The History of the American Labor Union

    2294 Words  | 5 Pages

    Beginning in the late 1700’s and growing rapidly even today, labor unions form the backbone for the American workforce and continue to fight for the common interests of workers around the country. As we look at the history of these unions, we see powerful individuals such as Terrence Powderly, Samuel Gompers, and Eugene Debs rise up as leaders in a newfound movement that protected the rights of the common worker and ensured better wages, more reasonable hours, and safer working conditions for those people (History). The rise of these labor unions also warranted new legislation that would protect against child labor in factories and give health benefits to workers who were either retired or injured, but everyone was not on board with the idea of foundations working to protect the interests of the common worker. Conflict with their industries lead to many strikes across the country in the coal, steel, and railroad industries, and several of these would ultimately end up leading to bloodshed. However, the existence of labor unions in the United States and their influence on their respective industries still resonates today, and many of our modern ideals that we have today carry over from what these labor unions fought for during through the Industrial Revolution.

    Read More

  • The White-Collar Union Organizer and The Frustrated Labor Historians

    2269 Words  | 5 Pages

    The paper will discuss minicases on ‘The White-Collar Union Organizer’ and ‘The Frustrated Labor Historians’ by Arthur A. Sloane and Fred Witney (2010), to understand the issues unions undergo in the marketplace. There is no predetermined statistical number reported of union memberships in this country. However, “the United Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) excludes almost 2 million U.S wages and salary employees, over half of whom are employed in the public sector, who are represented at their workplaces by a union but are not union members. Not being required to join a union as a condition of continued employment, these employees have for a variety of reasons chosen not to do so. Nor do the BLS estimates include union members who are currently unemployed” (Sloane & Witney, 2010, p.5). Given this important information, the examination of these minicases will provide answers to the problems unions face in organizational settings.

    Read More

  • Labor Unions During The Gilded Age

    891 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Movie Analysis: Norma Rae

    2060 Words  | 5 Pages

    However, unions do take an active part in politics. Traditionally, unions have received more support from the NLRB during times during Democratic administrations. Fossum writes that Democrats in Congress are “more likely to promote legislation favored by labor unions and to appropriate funds for activities that unions support”. Union members, in general, tend to be more politically conservative than the union leaders, and between 20 to 40 percent of members believe that unions should not be overly involved in politics. However, there is evidence that the more political activity by unions in the public sector, the higher the salary levels and number of jobs available (Fossum,

    Read More

  • The Disadvantages Of Unions And Size Advantage Strikes?

    1225 Words  | 3 Pages

    The disadvantages of union membership are viewed from the employee and employer perspective. Through the employee lens, the disadvantages manifest in the form of fees, loss of autonomy, and less collaborative work environment. As part of the union, you surrender many of your individual rights in exchange for the organized results that can potentially manifest through the collective bargaining process. Therefore, there isn’t any assurance that your individual concern will even be addressed.

    Read More

  • Labor Unions

    1289 Words  | 3 Pages

    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).

    Read More

  • Harley-Davidson Circle Organization

    1315 Words  | 3 Pages

    Flanagan, R. J. (2005). Has Management Strangled U.S. Unions? Journal of Labor Research, 26(1), 33-63.

    Read More

  • Managerial Prerogative

    1853 Words  | 4 Pages

    The laws and regulations surrounding Industrial Relations since the 1900’s have, at each reform, placed tighter constraints on the amount of power unions are able to exert. The reforms have also radically increased managerial prerogative, through an increased use of individual bargaining, contracts and restrictions imposed on unions (Bray and Waring, 2006). Bray and W...

    Read More

More about Labor Unions

Open Document