Introduction 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. The case study of GMFC provides an example of a company attempting to avoid unionization of its workers. GMFC is expanding by building a new U.S. plant which will manufacture motorized recreational equipment. The company plans to hire about 500 production workers to assemble mechanical components, fabricate fiberglass body parts, and assemble the final products. In order to avoid the expected union campaign by the United Automobile Workers (UAW) to organize its workers, GMFC must implement specific strategies to keep the new plant union-free. GMFC’s planning committee offers suggestions with regards to the plant’s size, location, staffing, wages and benefits, and other employee relations issues in order to defend the company against the negative effects of unionization and increase... ... middle of paper ... ...pment, structure, process. (11th ed.). McGraw‐Hill. ISBN: 978‐0078029158 Graham, L. A. (2008). How foreign-owned auto plants remain union-free. New Labor Forum (Murphy Institute), 17(3), 58-66. doi:10.1080/10957960802362738 McMahon, T. (2012). State of the anti-union (cover story). Maclean's, 125(13/14), 54. Saltzman, G. M. (1995). Job applicant screening by a Japanese transplant: A union-avoidance tactic. Industrial & Labor Relations Review, 49(1), 88. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/236383911?accountid=38569 Selecting new employees in nonunion operations. (1996). Management Report for Nonunion Organizations (Wiley), 19(5), 5-6. Three keys to union prevention. (1996). Management Report for Nonunion Organizations (Wiley), 19(3), 6. Union-prevention strategy: Sell your benefits. (2010). Management Report for Nonunion Organizations (Wiley), 33(9), 6.
10-21- What are the basic arguments for and against extreme measures to fight unionization efforts?
Organized labor has seen a long and ever changing history in the United States. What began as minimal organized labor movement catapulted into astronomical union membership rates as the nation grew and developed. The intense power unions possessed only lasted so long and in the years since 1970, union membership in the United States has collapsed. This paper will examine the most significant reasons for the decline in membership. In brief, organizational redesigns, the development of technology and substantial public policy changes have all contributed to the drop in affiliation rates. In addition, policy suggestions will be provided in an attempt to support the continuation of the trend. Much of the research regarding this topic refers to unions consisting of unskilled labor however it is obvious that most members are individuals who are highly trained in a specific trade. Because of this, the terms unskilled labor and trade labor will be used interchangeably.
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...
As factory operators pushed their employees to work longer and harder in order to increase profits, unions were formed. An example of this would be the fraternal organizat...
... of Labor Unions in Labor Markets. In R. C. Free (Ed.), 21st Century Reference Series. 21st Century Economics (Vol. 1, pp. 163-172). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Reference. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com.library3.webster.edu/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX1700400026&v=2.1&u=edenweb_main&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w
Factories were known for their ill treatment of their employees, long hours and dirty and unsafe conditions. In 1866, unions started to form to improve working conditions for the workers. A fundamental problem faced by democratic societies is as long as people live their lives individually and go their separate ways and be selfish individuals, they are unlikely to meet collectively to resolve issues. There needs to be meaningful unity among people to alleviate this problem to get people obliged to one another, so there is a willingness to sacrifice for shared goals. Bonding of its citizens creates a democracy. Unions seemed to offer the middle class a chance to become a crucial part of fostering institutions of constitutional democracy. The unions have went through several transitions, but have always worked for the working force. I will discuss the history of the various unions, their wins and losses, and the struggle of the employee to achieve democracy in the workplace.
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).
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.
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.
Cindy you bring to light some interesting points about return on investment for unionized facilities. Based on your writing it is clear that companies as well as unions must be happy with their situation as it relates to performance and compensation models. You mention that it employees are not happy they will seek union representation to mitigate their concerns. I don’t necessarily agree that this is the only way to iron out employee issues. One way to do this without employing union representation, is to have an employee counsel that works directly with company management to apply both company wants and employee needs. These employee councils can easily relate to the local labor needs and quickly react to company requirements. Whereas union
The advantage of unionized workforce is better wages, shorter workweek, and safer workplace. According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics the medium weekly income for full time employee in 2010 for a union worker was $917 compared to $717 non-union worker. In addition, a survey taken by the National Compensation Survey in 2009 that 93% of unionized workers were entitled for benefits compared to 69% of non-union workers represented by 101 million private industry workers and 19 million local and state government workers. Unionized workers has more power as a cohesive group compared to an individual which can help negotiate better wages, improve health and safety issues, benefits and working condition with the management of the company (Keller,
Flanagan, R. J. (2005). Has Management Strangled U.S. Unions? Journal of Labor Research, 26(1), 33-63.
Unions have paved the way to the benefits we all receive today. For the past 150 years they have been setting the standards that benefit us all. As workers today we have benefited from their fight. We have the luxuries such as maternity leave, vacation pay, access to benefits, workers’ rights in the workplace, social wage, protection from discrimination, and social inequality. We also have regulations set for workplace safety standards and protection against discrimination and harassment.
Unions allow the workers to ask for their rights as employees. Unions can enforce job security standard in a relatively fast and inexpensive forum. Unions can contest disparate treat...
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...