Pros And Cons Of Labor Unions

Organized labor began to rise as the business tycoons and big business owners, "…took advantage of this lawless environment to build fortunes, destroy reputations, exploit both workers and the environment, and gouge consumers" (Shi &Tindall 620). Such acts by the business tycoons prompted many workers to demand higher wages, better working hours, and safer working conditions. As the turn of the 20th Century approached, factories started emerging, and technological innovations since, "The U.S. patents office, which had recorded only 276 inventions during the 1790's, registered almost 250,000 new patents in the 1890's" (Shi &Tindall 622). The inventions led to the advancement of machines in factories as they reduced labor costs, lowered the production costs of certain goods, and essentially creating a widespread mass production of goods. As most individuals began to notice, unfairness among their workplace, they included themselves in certain labor unions including the Knights of Labor (KOL), Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), and the American Federation of Labor (AFL). All three groups had different beliefs: the Knights of Labor included all members whether skilled or unskilled in their group; the AFL rejected Capitalism and focused on working conditions—as they were successful in organized labor; and lastly, the IWW strived for strong industrial unions or Unionism.

Organized labor affects the lives of many citizens everyday, often in a roundabout way. Labor Unions affect many different people from blue-collar workers to white-collar workers, stay-at-home moms, students, and retirees. Fewer; however realize the legal role Labor Unions have played and continue to play in the financial system, political affairs, and society in general. In today's society, more of our skilled hourly and unskilled workers belong to some sort of Labor Union and that is a good sign that Unions will not face extinction. As long as there is a need for higher wages, there will be a need for Unions.

The three major aspects of industrialization during 1865 and 1920 that influenced U.S. society, economy, and politics where; urbanization, working conditions, and a laissez- faire government.

The need for factory workers provided jobs for the masses, but came with a price.

The Industrial Revolution in America began to develop in the mid-eighteen hundreds after the Civil War. Prior to this industrial growth the work force was mainly based in agriculture, especially in the South (“Industrial Revolution”). The advancement in machinery and manufacturing on a large scale changed the structure of the work force. Families began to leave the farm and relocate to larger settings to work in the ever-growing industries. One area that saw a major change in the work force was textile manufacturing. Towns in the early nineteen hundreds were established around mills, and workers were subjected to strenuous working conditions. It would take decades before these issues were

These conditions did not change overnight. Early labor organizations had to struggle with both industry and the government to secure the most basic rights for workers. In fact, it took over 150 years for unions to establish the legal right to organize. Along with wanting wages that were high enough to provide the basic needs, unions fought for the 8-hour workday, child labor laws, equal pay for the sexes, and public education (Dulles, 108,132)(Encyclopedia Americana, 630). Various organizations formed to provide for the needs of a diverse working population. Some were more successful than others were. However, all faced opposition from the business owners. Companies frequently used the government

Should prerogatives at the local or national level take higher priority when negotiating new agreements with employers? In my opinion, as long as the new deals are made in a collective bargaining; process that allows workers to face employers in unified groups, then prerogatives at the local or national level should not take the higher priority. Ideally, unionized labor is primarily meant to take care of the typical employee. Unions protect workers; by uniting them under a single union banner, to allow them to listen to one clear voice concerning the working conditions or other worker-related issues.Notably, Unions commonly have political agendas or other plans that need attention. Specifically, national unions often pass their political agendas by prioritizing the needs of those at localized levels.

Today, many businesses and organizations collaborate with the labor unions whether by choice or not. As generally understood the labor unions are organizations of workers acting jointly to negotiate their wages, working environment, and benefits with there employers. Like many nations globally, in the U.S. the subordinate employees are legally allowed to establish unions and engage in collective bargains with the management. Following the collective bargains there is always the establishment of the labor contract, which is a written agreement that governs the union-management relations (Workplace Fairness Organization, 2017). Though the labor relations are a common thing today and offer many benefits to the members, many people are still reluctant to join their respective labor unions.

The labor union movement over the years has shaped the way individuals work and live for both the nicest and unpleasant. Some would think the unions influence has created a power struggle between management and union leaders. In today’s time, some citizens insist the existence of unions are a must to aid in employee freedom, while others view the labor unions as just another problem in the line of progress. The purpose of labor unions was for employed workers to come together and collectively agree on fundamental workplace objectives. The rise of the union came about after the Civil War- responding to the industrial economy. Surprisingly at the least unions became popular within the 1930-50’s and began to slowly decrease,

In the United States unions have impacted the workforce by creating better benefits for all works. Unions work to improve the working conditions in the workplace by working with the organization to make sure they are following the labor laws of the State and Federal Government. Labor unions date back to the eighteenth century and the industrial revolution in Europe. (Union Plus, n.d.) Unions exploded in the United States around the nineteenth century with the founding of the National Labor Union (NLU) in 1866. (Union Plus, n.d.) According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2015 the overall union

The rise of capitalism as the dominant economic system in the United States made the rise of unions inevitable; given the natural division between those with capital that control the means of production, and labor, who is treated simply as another factor of production (Hodson & Sullivan, 2008). While labor unions have made significant improvements to the working environment, with the regulation of safety, environment, labor and wage; labor unions have also contributed to the decline of U.S. dominance in industries like steel, automotive, education and airlines. In today’s global economy, can labor unions continue to be a force for good in the United States, or have they become harmful institutions?

Labor Unions, or organized groups of employees who band together in an attempt to protect and advance their rights in the workplace, have been around since the post-depression era. In recent years though unions have been decreasing in number, size and popularity. The decline of unions could potentially hurt the workforce and the economy-increasing poverty, eliminating standard pay, benefits and compensation. Without unions, the laws and now standard practices in the corporate world might cease to exist, creating unnecessary chaos. Labor unions are still imperative and should continue to be part of the workforce culture.

As technology increased and the demand for manufactured goods grew, more and more Russian peasants migrated to the cities. Soon the big metropolises such as St. Petersburg and Moscow became hubs for the demands of the industrial world. As the number of factories expanded, so did the number of laborers, and in turn, the conditions in these workplaces worsened. As Bonnell writes,

Unions were originally formed to provide support and protection for their members from unfair practices. Given the effects of globalization, large and small labor unions offer different advantages when it comes to representing their members. Regardless of the size composition, unions protect the union worker when it concerns work safety, benefits, or employee rights. The union fights for good pay and better benefits and they provide a level of job security over the non-unionized employees. When a company has a union shop, the union has the control over the employees and the organization does not. As a result of not having the control, most companies frown on having a union. In the overall picture, many non-union companies treat their employees

Around the 20th century, the rich believed in Social Darwinism, an ideology where rich are the ones to survive while the rich are the ones to become extinct. Due to this,the working conditions were in need of improvement, for the rich did not care about the working class. People who believed the illusion that one day they will become rich tried getting jobs in factories and other places. The rich were getting richer, and the poor were getting poorer, all while workers suffer horrible working conditions. The creation of labor unions helped improve these conditions. Some may argue that labor unions essentially destroyed the free market by restricting the actions of the wealthy. However, although half of this argument holds some truth, labor unions did not destroy the free market.