Labor Unions And RelevanceEssay Preview: Labor Unions And RelevanceReport this essayLabor Unions and RelevanceIn the United States, labor unions are seeing an increased amount of controversy surrounding their helpfulness to the U.S. economy. Recently, comparisons between the successes of a company such as Toyota versus Ford have brought the issue of unions to the forefront. Many cite the cost Ford has due to the fact that the employees are unionized and receive more benefits at a higher cost to the company. On the other hand, many people see great benefit for Americans who are protected under a union contract; however, it is possible to create a work environment that is successful, safe, fair, and beneficial to employees without being a union shop.
Larger-sized unions are at an all-time low. The number of unionized labor force sizes is currently around 1.3 million, with this share dropping at the rate of 1.6 million in the 1990s–2000s. Of these, only about a third use unions as a bargaining tool. Since 2007, at least 1.3 million non-unionized workers have been unionized since 2000. While we are still understaffed and still subject to many wage pressures (a phenomenon known as underemployment), unionized jobs continue to grow among the workforce, often through unions.
The US labor movement seems to be on the forefront of unions and thus the current debate appears to be at odds with both the U.S. Constitution and the American labour process. In the U.S., the Constitution permits the Congress to require, “In every establishment of the United States, the People are the bureaus of the Government . . . .” The Constitution also states the duties and the powers of the Federal Government. However, the fact of the matter is that the Supreme Court never ruled on the constitutionality of the constitutionality of the U.S. Constitution, at least in part because of its wording. It is not at all unreasonable for many on both sides of the political aisle to fear or even outright oppose the rights of many others to organize.
Unions in the US today are increasingly being pushed to the extreme as the economy recovers and the economy strengthens. Yet, the most pressing issues for many on both sides of the political aisle and in many local, state, and federal government work are often the most difficult to defend. In addition, many unions face significant legal and political obstacles to defending their member unions (see, for example, N. C. & New Mexico v. DBA, 833 F.Supp. 1086 (N.D.Tex.1995). For further discussion, we have used estimates from the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees’ Association to describe unions in the United States as being at least 7.8% larger than the typical union worker during the 1996 Census. In all, the estimated increase in over 5,000 unionized members in the 2000s was the largest increase of 9,000 new members since 1980.
While it can be quite difficult for small businesses to become successful economically, it can also be quite difficult for larger businesses to become successful economically. The growth in labor force over the last decade may be the largest single factor contributing to the current recession and decline in the unemployment rate. Over the past 20 years the U.S. labor market grew at a rapid rate over this period. That growth was aided by the continued decline in the cost of living and wage growth. On February 6, 2012 the Federal Reserve began pumping money into its Treasury note to support the global economic recovery after the United States had experienced massive inflation in 2009. On December 7, 2012 the Federal Reserve Bank
Larger-sized unions are at an all-time low. The number of unionized labor force sizes is currently around 1.3 million, with this share dropping at the rate of 1.6 million in the 1990s–2000s. Of these, only about a third use unions as a bargaining tool. Since 2007, at least 1.3 million non-unionized workers have been unionized since 2000. While we are still understaffed and still subject to many wage pressures (a phenomenon known as underemployment), unionized jobs continue to grow among the workforce, often through unions.
The US labor movement seems to be on the forefront of unions and thus the current debate appears to be at odds with both the U.S. Constitution and the American labour process. In the U.S., the Constitution permits the Congress to require, “In every establishment of the United States, the People are the bureaus of the Government . . . .” The Constitution also states the duties and the powers of the Federal Government. However, the fact of the matter is that the Supreme Court never ruled on the constitutionality of the constitutionality of the U.S. Constitution, at least in part because of its wording. It is not at all unreasonable for many on both sides of the political aisle to fear or even outright oppose the rights of many others to organize.
Unions in the US today are increasingly being pushed to the extreme as the economy recovers and the economy strengthens. Yet, the most pressing issues for many on both sides of the political aisle and in many local, state, and federal government work are often the most difficult to defend. In addition, many unions face significant legal and political obstacles to defending their member unions (see, for example, N. C. & New Mexico v. DBA, 833 F.Supp. 1086 (N.D.Tex.1995). For further discussion, we have used estimates from the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees’ Association to describe unions in the United States as being at least 7.8% larger than the typical union worker during the 1996 Census. In all, the estimated increase in over 5,000 unionized members in the 2000s was the largest increase of 9,000 new members since 1980.
While it can be quite difficult for small businesses to become successful economically, it can also be quite difficult for larger businesses to become successful economically. The growth in labor force over the last decade may be the largest single factor contributing to the current recession and decline in the unemployment rate. Over the past 20 years the U.S. labor market grew at a rapid rate over this period. That growth was aided by the continued decline in the cost of living and wage growth. On February 6, 2012 the Federal Reserve began pumping money into its Treasury note to support the global economic recovery after the United States had experienced massive inflation in 2009. On December 7, 2012 the Federal Reserve Bank
In 1953, approximately half of the workers in the United States were protected by a labor union. Today, only 12% of American workers are members of a union (Farmer, 2006). A union is an organized group of people that bargain their work conditions as a team. Some of the most well-known unions in the local area include United Food and Commercial Workers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and the Teamsters. Unions have a serious impact on organizations whose workforce is protected under a collective bargaining agreement. Everything from wages to benefits and incentives are affected by a union contract. Policies and other items that can change an organizations culture can also be guided by a unions demands. A unions basic goals are to help their members earn higher wages, receive the best benefits possible and protect against unfair treatment and job termination.
At this writers workplace, the employees are protected under a collective bargaining agreement. Everything from vacation and sick leave, pension plans, pay scales, and the time that checks are handed out on payday is detailed within the contract. The contract is renewed every three years. The contract also has a “no-strike” clause that states that employees cannot strike, even if the contract is failing to reach agreement. This past spring, meetings at the UFCW union building were started to decide what the employee demands to the company were going to be for the contract renewal. Some requests for change were outlandish, while others were simple. The union representatives were honest by bringing to light that there needed to be a consensus as to which items were the most important, while disregarding those that would probably not be viable to the business. The negotiation came to a quiet conclusion a couple of months later and only a few minor changes were enacted including a 2.5% pay increase per year until the next contract negotiation. Most employees did not care that much about the process, and the small group of people that did were those who wanted huge raises in wage and pension.
Administering the contracts “involve day-to-day activities in which union members and the organizations managers may have disagreements. Issues include complaints of work rules being violated or workers being treated unfairly in particular situations” (Noe et al., 2003). One recent situation which somewhat involved this writer in regard to a grievance being filed through the union shows a basic rundown of the general attitude about the negotiated contract at this workplace. An employee was reprimanded for leaving work for a doctors appointment without getting an official pass from the supervisor. This employee did not forewarn or fill out any of the required paperwork for sick/personal time. This employee just decided that at 2:00 p.m. she would be done for the day. After it was noticed that she was gone, a manager was notified. This manager walked the entire building looking for anyone with authority to ask if permission was given to leave early. No such permission was granted. This employee was officially written up and given notice that if it was to happen again, suspension without pay would ensue, and a third time would result in termination.
This employee felt disgruntled and put upon because of the write-up and decided to go to the union representative and file a complaint. The union representative called the manager and talked about the issue and requested a meeting with the manager, the shop steward (elected to represent employees during the contract period), the employee and herself. The following meeting essentially turned into a gripe festival in which the employee complained about the management, fellow employees, the workload, and the lack of recognition