Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution labor battles have been a reoccurring issue across the world. In the mid 1800’s to early 1900s the labor battle heated up in America’s cities as workers fought for their rights and corporations fought to keep wages low. To combat the powerful companies, workers united together creating the first labor unions. Since their creation, the unions have grown in members as they fight battles for shorter work days and higher salaries, but organized labor has also created much controversy. Over time, both pros and cons have been identified by supporters and attackers of labor unions. Now, read the accompanying sources about organized labor, then in an essay that synthesizes at least three of the sources for support, defend, challenge, or qualify the following statement. Do not simply quote the sources; instead, choose which ones (a minimum of 3) are most appropriate to bolster your opinion. Also, avoid summarizing the sources. Following each direct and indirect quote, parenthetically identify the source as (Source A), (Source B), etc. Organized labor has become a controversial topic with propionates citing improved quality of workers’ lives while others point to a number of problems, including less productivity. Use at least three sources to support your opinion. SOURCES FOLLOW…
1. Unions usually support: A) conduct-based pay. B) achievement-based pay. C) performance-based pay. D) seniority-based pay. E) merit-based pay. 2. The National Labor Relations Act is also known as the: A) Landrum-Griffin Act. B) Walsh-Healey Act. C) Taft-Hartley Act. D) Davis-Bacon Act. E) Wagner Act. 3. What can supervisors do to stay union-free? A) They can report any direct or indirect signs of union activity to a core management group. B) They can promise employees that they will receive favorable terms of employment if they forgo union activity. C) They can spy on employees known to be engaged in pro-union activities. D) They can impose with harsher terms and conditions of employment. E) They can interrogate employees about pro-union or anti-union sentiments that they have. 4. Which of the following acts was an addition to the Taft-Hartley Act that further regulated unions' actions and their internal affairs like financial disclosure and conduct of elections? A) Bagley-Keene Act B) Taylor Act C) Landrum-Griffin Act D) Chamberlain-Ferris Act E) Keating-Owen Act 5. Which of the following is true of union activities? A) Nonmanufacturing industries such as finance, insurance, and real estate have a higher union representation than manufacturing industries. B) One reason for the smaller union presence in southern states is the existence of right-to-work laws. C) Women and men have equal representation in unions. D) Employee groups and economic sectors with the fastest growth rates tend to have the highest rates of unionization. E) Unions have perfectly adapted themselves to recent changes in the economic structure. 6. Integrative bargaining is the part of the labor-management negotiation process that: A) refers to the relationship and level of trust between the negotiators. B) allows a person with no formal authority to act as a facilitator in the negotiations. C) seeks…
References: Lawler III, E. E., & Mohrman, S. A. (1987). Unions and the New Management. Academy Of…
Between 1875 and 1900, there were organized labor forces popping up left and right, and the purpose of all of them was to improve the common workers position. However, few of these unions managed to bring much of a positive change. At the time, the three most influential labor forces were the Knights of Labor, who fell from power before they could bring much change, the American Federation of Labor, who didn’t fare any better, and the Populist party, who could be seen as the most successful of the three, though not actually successful.…
Answering the Questions The role of unions in today’s workplace is still has the responsibility to ensure the rights of workers, and provide an opportunity for their voices to be heard. Issues that are addressed by labor unions include work assignment, compensation, benefits and working conditions. Unions benefit their members (monopoly power), at the expense of higher cost, and requiring responses to employees grievances “voice power”. As a result of little job creation, debt crises, growing fiscal deficits and difficulties in states and local governments a “new normal” to the role of the labor unions have been created.…
When a group of workers decide they want to form a union, there is a basic eight- step process. They seek out the help of unions to improve working conditions. The first step requires a…
In reading Green's book, Death in the Haymarket, it is clear that the Haymarket Affair on May 4th, 1886, resulted in the decline of union activity across the United States. The reason for the decline can be assessed through the fate of the Knights of Labor, the politics that were associated with unions, and the rise of employer's fears of unions.…
“It is impossible for capitalists and laborers to have common interest.” The Second Industrial Revolution skyrocketed with new inventions and machines and changed how factories and jobs were worked. As the industries grew, so did the need for unions among the workers. To a certain degree the unions were successful in improving the position of the workers. They were not highly successful as they would be defeated and have to go back to square one, but mildly a success. Developing from the needs, the effects of the workers’ unions were successful.…
Over the years unions have been forced to change with the times. Looking at some of these changes and discussing how the unions have evolved over time will be discussed in this paper. Also the philosophy and how the unions accommodate its members have changes so this to will be discussed. After looking at all of this a couple of proposals will be discussed to help unions broaden their appeal.…
The course provides an overview of workers and unions in American society and introduces you to topics covered in the field of Labor Studies. The course looks at economic, political, and workplace issues facing working people, why and how workers join unions, how unions are structured and function, and how unions and management bargain a contract. The class includes an overview of U.S. labor and working class history, an analysis of the state of U.S. employment laws, and a discussion of the contemporary struggles workers and unions face in a rapidly changing global economy. Finally, the class examines a contemporary labor struggle to explore changing labor-management relations, the U.S. government’s role, and internal struggles within the labor movement.…
Davis-Bacon Act (1931): The Davis-Bacon Act of 1931 was an act that made governed the rate of minimum wage is paid to laborers and mechanics who were employed on federal work projects. The goal of this act was to preserve local wage standards and push for more local employment by preventing contractors to bid on public contracts. Therefore this act helped local employers to retain public…
Union organizing was caused by attitudes that were common among employers. But most of the employers were convinced that their employees shared identical interests and also they were morally and financially entitled to establish policies on their workers behave. Perhaps half of the workers refused to be engaged in the negotiations with the labor union called collective bargaining. And they also rejected all the unions as illegitimate organizations.…
Unions and organizations have had a disagreeable relationship from the very beginning; which dates back to the mid 1800s when unionization started. The reason being, they both had very different beliefs and perspectives on laborers, working conditions and benefits. In this paper, we will briefly discuss the start of unionization, the roles that both management and unions play in an organization and some strategies that can help management and unions create a better working relationship with one another.…
Business was thriving, the economy was growing, and life as a whole was improving. However, there was a growing minority of workingmen whose long, difficult hours of toil were being taken advantage of by greedy, selfish employers. These poor men and their malnourished, destitute families compiled the backbone of the thriving economy. Without them, production as a whole would have been at a standstill and the growing quality of life for Americans would have been dampened. Yet these hard-working people received no recognition. On the contrary, they were sorely mistreated by their employers. Threateningly, this problem was growing vaster, until finally workers began to take a stand. Did they make any impact? Did the movement last? Throughout the decades, labor unions have shaped the state of the American economy and the value of the common…
This paper argues that public sector labor relations is best understood in a framework that focuses on unions ' ability to shift demand curves rather than…