Unions:
THW rejects unions:
Background:
Labor unions in the United States are legally recognized as representatives of workers in many industries. The most prominent unions are among public sector employees such as teachers and police. Activity by labor unions in the United States today centers on collective bargaining over wages, benefits, and working conditions for their membership and on representing their members if management attempts to violate contract provisions. Although much smaller compared to their peak membership in the 1950s, American unions also remain an important political factor, both through mobilization of their own memberships and through coalitions with like-minded activist organizations around issues such as immigrant rights, trade policy, health care, and living wage campaigns.
Today most unions are aligned with one of two larger umbrella organizations: the AFL-CIO created in 1955 and the Change to Win Federation, which split from the AFL-CIO in 2005. Both advocate policies and legislation on behalf of workers in the United States and Canada, and take an active role in politics. The AFL-CIO is especially concerned with global trade issues.
American union membership in the private sector has in recent years fallen under 9% — levels not seen since 1932. Unions allege that employer-incited opposition has contributed to this decline in membership.
Unions are currently advocating new federal legislation that would allow workers to elect union representation by simply signing a support card. The current process established by federal law requires at least 30% of employees to sign cards for the union, then wait 45 to 90 days for a federal official to conduct a secret ballot election in which a simple majority of the employees must vote for the union in order to obligate the employer to bargain. Unions report that, under the present system, many employers use the 45 to 90 day period to conduct anti-union campaigns.
During the 2008 elections, the Employee Free Choice Act had widespread support of many legislators in the House and Senate, and of the President. Since then, support for the "card check" provisions of the EFCA subsided substantially.
Pros:
· They provide support against big companies
· unions are good for workers: if workers have a problem with the employer, then they can all ban together and take care of the problem.
· unions allow employees to band together to negotiate for better wages and benefits, and to make sure that everyone is being treated fairly by the employer.
· they even help protect minorities, and other subordinated groups, from being wrongfully fired.
· it helps all working people, the economy and the future of progressive politics.
· provides better and safer work environments.
· encourages teamwork and cooperation.
· Created jobs for hundreds of people and immigrants, Put the US one step ahead of the world, Brought people to the large cities to work instead of farms, Brought people over from different countries and created America. Lead to some great accomplishments.
Cons:
· bad for the employer: workers can ban together until the employer meets their needs.
· employers can become aggressive, and very unfair to try and stop unionization, employers can be charged with unfair labor practice.
· unions push wages to unreasonable amounts, employers can be striked against.
· striking can make union members look greedy, People were underpaid
· Children had to work alongside their parents; the conditions were terrible in the factories.
· people were paid as little as possible so the robber barons could make as much money as possible. rich get richer, the poor get poorer
References:
No comments:
Post a Comment