Are Unions Helpful in Our Current Economy?

1345 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: History of labor unions essay

Labor unions have helped shape the American way of life. However there are those that are for unions because of there positive effects and vice versa. Both of these categories have valid points. The union members gain many benefits that with out the formation of labor unions would not be easily accessible. Business owners have felt more of a negative result from unionization. Then who is right, should unions be stopped or do companies suck it up, is there a way for a happy ending between the two.

The labor movement in the 1930s started the formation of unions to benefit the mistreated working population of the great depression. These labor unions had given many workers an opportunity that they had never had before that was to finally choose the work conditions that they would work in. These new union members had a multitude of tools in which they could achieve their desired results. Hirsch states “At worksites where a majority of employees have voted for representation, a union serves as workers’ exclusive bargaining agent and provides a collective voice in dealings with employers” (Hirsch). One such tool was collective bargaining, essentially a one on one between the employer and the representation of the union members in order to make changes to wage rates and work conditions. Usually ending in an agreement where union members were ultimately the benefactors. In a case in which there was a stalemate about the terms the union would most likely go on strike until they had their way and an agreement could be had. This essentially is one of the unions’ strongest tools. That would make any company tremble at the thought of losing money due to having production cease. In other instances they were able to help just themselves but non...

... middle of paper ...

...d should be taken lightly, but the fact of the matter is that change is needed. Unless our economy will continue to slowly go under.

Works Cited

Barrientos, Stephanie, and Sally Smith. "Do Workers Benefit from Ethical." Third World Quarterly 28.4 (2007): 713-29. Print.

Griswold, Daniel. "UNIONS, PROTECTIONISM, AND U.S. COMPETITIVENESS." CATO Journal 30.1 (2010): 181-96. Print

Hirsch, Barry T. "Sluggish Institutions in a Dynamic World: Can Unions and Industrial Competition Coexist?" Journal of Economic Perspectives 22.1 (2008): 153-76. Print.

Meeusen, Wim, Vesna Stavrevska, and Glenn Rayp. "Efficiency Wages, Unemployment Benefits and Union-Firm Wage Bargaining: The Issue of the Choice of the Outside Option." Journal of Labor Research 32.1 Mar. (2011): 75-86. Print.

Welch, Jack, and Suzy Welch. "A Week of Blows to Business." BusinessWeek 18 May 2009: 72. Print.

Show More
Related

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

    2269 Words  | 5 Pages

    To conclude this analysis on the basis of the labor’s extensive history, Sloane & Witney (2010) propose, “it is entirely possible that labor’s remarkable staying power has been because of the simple fact that to many workers, from the nineteenth century to the present, there really has been no acceptable substitute for collective bargaining as a means of maintaining and improving employment conditions” (p.80). In the end, it is important to anticipate unions and employers presently work together to find solutions that will enhance collective bargaining strategies and practices to serve the interest of both parties.

    Read More

  • GMFC: Planning for a Union-Free Plant

    1815 Words  | 4 Pages

    As companies look to expand operations and hire new employees, many economic and environmental factors are taken into consideration. The cost of labor is one of the primary concerns as labor generally constitutes a large part of company budgets. The organization of labor by unions further increases this concern. The wages of unionized workers are significantly higher than the wages of nonunion workers in almost every industry (Fossum, 2012). Higher wages generally result in reduced company profits, lower share prices, and reduced shareholder returns (Fossum, 2012). Unionization also reduces the employer’s flexibility with regards to hiring, transferring, or promoting employees (Fossum, 2012). Productivity may be negatively impacted by unionization because merit is often eliminated as a criterion for wage increases or promotions (Fossum, 2012). As a result of these negative impacts, employers are motivated to oppose unionization.

    Read More

  • Knights Of Labor History Essay

    466 Words  | 1 Pages

    They concentrated on higher wages, shorter hours, and personal issues of workers. The American Federation of Labor’s main weapon was walkouts and boycotts to get industries to succeed to better conditions and higher wages. By the early 1900’s, its membership was up to ½ million workers. Through the years since The Great Depression, labor unions were responsible for several benefits for employees. Workers have safer conditions, higher paying jobs to choose from, and better benefits negotiated for them by their collective bargaining unit.

    Read More

  • 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 collective bargaining. It is because of these grass roots that America’s organized labor has continued to grow to this day, however not unchallenged. The challenges unions face today stem directly from the challenges faced in 1875. The organized labor movement from 1875 to 1900 is to blame for the problems unions face today as early labor unions crucified themselves politically, alienated themselves socially and failed to increase the socio-economic position of the worker, and in many cases only succeeded in worsening such positions.

    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

  • Decline of Union Membership

    2292 Words  | 5 Pages

    Wallerstein, M. & Western, B. 2000. Unions in Decline? What Has Changed and Why? Annual Review of Political Science. 3: 355-377.

    Read More

  • The Gilded Age: Unions and the Labor Movement

    1368 Words  | 3 Pages

    A more successful collective bargaining union was known as the American Federation of Labor (AFL) founded by Samuel Gompers in 1886. This organization focused on practical issues that involved craft unionization of skilled workers. The craft workers were successful in organizing because unlike the unskilled workers they could not be replaced easily. This union bargained for thing such as 8 hour work days, higher wages did not deal with social reforms. Women’s wages were not considered because the AFL dealt

    Read More

  • Mexican Labor Unions and Economic Reforms Over the Past 20 Years

    4209 Words  | 9 Pages

    Since labor unions in Mexico were originally formed in the early 1900s, they have maintained a unique system of collaboration and collusion with the government of Mexico. Though many may refer to their system as one of “corruption,” it is a system that has become so deeply imbedded in the relationship between labor unions and the government, that it is now a well-understood unofficial network. Over the past 20 years in Mexico, a great deal of progress has been made toward the liberalization of the Mexican markets. Previously government-owned companies have been privatized, foreign investment has boomed, and a once one-party system has just recently produced its first democratically elected opposing party president. But how helpful have the labor unions been to this progress? Generally, labor unions would be one of a society’s greatest opponents to such things as privatization, causing many difficulties to the progress of the economy, however in the case of Mexico, I contend that labor unions have, in fact, been a beneficial component to the progress. The unions have contributed through their collaboration with the government, their suppression of wages, their maintenance of a balanced governmental system, and their contributions to democracy. Though it cannot be claimed that all of their contributions to the economic development of the past 20 years in Mexico has been positive, it can be claimed that Mexico’s unique style of government-labor union coordination has acted in many unusually beneficial ways.

    Read More

  • Labor Unions’ Involvement in Politics

    1616 Words  | 4 Pages

    Fletcher says that when unions and politics come together, people especially interpret unions’ missions and their power critically. He does not expand on how he titles the myth, but skims the surface on union consensus regarding politics. The myth is about the belief that “unions should stay out of politics and focus on what’s happening in the workplace” (Fletcher 65).

    Read More

  • U.S. Labor History

    1343 Words  | 3 Pages

    U.S. Labor History 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 process 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).

    Read More

  • Lava

    1108 Words  | 3 Pages

    The 1930-50’s golden era of organized labor is over and has lost the energy it had once had as a unifying factor in the lives of workers in the U.S. There are many factors to this decline, but image is very influential in the creation and influence of unions in two ways: externally and internally. Externally, the union’s ideology and actions attract workers into becoming members of a union and how government responds to a union’s beliefs and actions. Internally, union’s are run democratically, where workers choose who will represent them in negotiations with employers, which should give some benefits to the majority of the workers in the union. Organized crime's infiltration into labor unions has rotted the image of unions who represent workers looking to defend themselves against employers and achieve a stable livelihood. The history of labor and organized crime are undoubtedly linked because at times they would use each other to further their own means: the most famous of these links would have to be on James Hoffa. Organized crime and corrupt union officials influence on unions will still exists and although crackdowns throughout the decades have made some progress I doubt that they will be removed entirely from labor.

    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

  • The Labor-Management Relationship

    1991 Words  | 4 Pages

    Labor relations emerged as response towards combating the economic unrest that accompanied the 1930 Great depression. At this period, massive unemployment, decreasing salary and wages, and over competition for jobs despite poor working conditions, was being experience; especially in the US. In turn employees were aggravated and therefore resorted to labor strike that often escalated to violence. To avoid such incident that could potentially harm further an ailing economy, the US government set precedent by passing their first related Labor relationship act, also referred to as the Wagner act. This act excluded public sector and some employees in the informal sector, farm workers to be specific. However, the progressive change in business and labor environment, necessitated changes in the labor laws to ensure they are more inclusive (Haywood & Sijtsma, 2000).

    Read More

More about Are Unions Helpful in Our Current Economy?

Open Document