Article Analysis : 23 Wage Labor Essay

The main reason of the rise of labor unions was the quick industrialization of the US economy. During the post-Civil War period, the US economy became extremely industrialized. This meant that more and more people were working in factories owned by large companies rather than working in small shops for themselves or for small businesses. In addition, large numbers of immigrants were coming to the US. They created a huge pool of labor that made labor prices go down and the quality of working conditions.

In her book, Labor and Legality: An Ethnography of a Mexican Immigrant Network, Ruth Gomberg-Muñoz describes the lives of ten busboys, she referrs to as the Lions, living and working in the Chicago area. Gomberg-Muñoz provides an insight into the lives of these undocumented Mexican workers. They share their stories of crossing the border, the affects of their absence on family back in Mexico, and the daily struggles of living in a country without the benefits of citizenship. The Lions, as well as other undocumented Mexicans, have to face Americans stereotypes every day. Probably the biggest stereotype the Lions contend with is the belief that all Mexicans are hard workers.

The minimum wage is one of the most controversial issues on our country, which is United States has been facing last ten years. There have been never ending debates over this issue until the government, company, and others party stand together, and raise the minimum wage throughout the nations. There are communities that believe raise the minimum wage has negative impact of every sector of the country. Other communities have different beliefs over the issue, raising the minimum wage helps the poor people, and would help not hurt our economy.

The work that these laborers did was degrading and dehumanizing. They were given one small task to complete a bigger goal, but they were never able to get the satisfaction of completing a product. This was very detrimental to the mental state of the workers and did not help them to make better quality products, because they only had one small insignifiant job in the whole process. They were easily replaceable and the work was so simple that children could easily do it. Document C shows that ten years before this time people specialized in a job, but as time progressed the job was subdivided and subdivided until the point that instead of knowing the whole trade, the workers know one small part of the whole job. The owners did this for cost cutting and to make production faster. No matter how hard one worked they often did not find joy in their work and they were unable to advance very far in the company. The labor unions did little in helping them to move up in the world if anything it made it harder for the workers. They had to sign contracts saying they would not join unions or else they would lose their jobs. Document D shows the contract that many had to sign saying they would join or be affiliated with the labor unions while employed, the companies tried to make it sound appealing, giving the guise that they would make life better and change things for the better if the workers

Labor Unions have had an effect of American history as well as world-wide history from the time they became popular. Following WWII Americans were predominantly pro-labor, however, as time went on union’s credibility fell short of perfect. Union strikes proved to be bothersome to both the general public and company. Unions were also suppressing to employees through fraud and lack of worker rights (in earlier years, before Acts were passed). Although Union labor had its shortcomings, this type of labor is noted to be the most productive and economically beneficial. With both sides shown, I feel Unions will again thrive in the future with a few key adjustments made.

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).

Workers were paid as little as dollar or a dollar and twenty-five cents for working for twelve to sixteen hours a day. The low wages were so bad that many were starving. In document 3, Governor John P. Altgeld of Illinois wrote to George M. Pullman saying that “there are nearly six thousand people suffering for want of food- they were your employees” (document 3). However, workers who joined labor unions had their wages increased dramatically. In document 8, the President of American Federation of Labor, Samuel Gompers, said that those who joined labor unions had their “wages increased 70 percent in the past seven years” (document 8). Labor unions in the 1900s helped workers increase their low wages to not beg for food for

The labor Union movement played a big impact during the late 1800’s that we as American’s have benefitted from still to this day. The idea is basic: better working conditions, better compensation for the work being done. Up to this timeframe, farming was a primary source of subsistence as well as finance for many typical American households. However as the Country grew and industry began it’s reign on the American economy, many of these former farmers and their children took to working for a salary. Unfortunately, as seems to be a trend within history, the people that control the money tend to treat their employees with little regard until someone steps in to speak up for these workers.

American workers early in the period of 1914 to 1939 had always been oppressed by the upper classes like the riches, politicians and especially the employers. Every second of their lives were a painful moment that they had to endure in order to survive. Some had even given up just because they taught that it was an easy way to escape the living hell on earth. Others that were more appreciative of their lives fought for their rights to get what they deserve. In this case, money or pay that is equal to the amount of effort that they have provided for those employers.

The minimum wage in the United States has been an ongoing controversy for many years now. The first minimum wage was established in 1938 (Reich, 2015, P. 3). That minimum wage started out at .25 cents an hour; compared to today’s higher wage of a government standard of $7.25 an hour. Many people believe that the minimum wage should be more so that those who live below the poverty level in the United States will decrease, however in many other people’s opinions the minimum wage should be the same. The minimum wage should stay the same at a low $7.25.

I agree with this article, written by Niels Veldhuis, to the extent that minimum wage negatively affects the economy, by increasing unemployment. However, if I were Veldhuis I would have added that the social values of minimum wage may outweigh the negative effects on the economy. This matter is a value judgement, which cannot be proved right or wrong by economics. Veldhuis supports his statement with proof from studies; I will explain these findings with further microeconomic theory. I will discuss the following to reflect upon the accuracy of his arguments: theories of producer behavior and cost minimization, market equilibrium, welfare, and the importance of value judgements.

The living wage movement is an economic reform movement that has become one of the most important public policy issues that has come up within the last 10 years. Although there is no single definition, it is often defined as an hourly salary that allows working families of four to have an income that is above the federal poverty line. This means that the livable wage laws often stipulate that hourly wages should be two to three times above the federal Mininum wage. However, unlike the Mininum wage, the living wage has so far only been enacted on the county and city level. Cities and counties enforce the living wage for companies that have contracts with their respective cities and counties, receive subsidies

In the twenty-first century, it is not a secret that many American companies are actually setting up factories in foreign countries, with the majority located in Asia. Notable examples of this include athletic shoe companies such as Nike, Adidas, and Reebok Additionally, most people know the reason these companies make their products overseas: “cheap labor.” However, what exactly does the term “cheap labor” entail? Moreover, how are international politics and the global economy affected by this outsourcing? While it may seem like a simple question with a simple answer, the cause of such a relationship and its effects on international commerce are deeply complex and morally questionable.

Employment or labor laws have been developed to facilitate smooth relationship between employers and employees. Employment laws provide rules and regulations that should govern both the employer and the employees in their places of work. Employment laws discuss issues related to child labor, wages and salaries, retirement, working conditions, compensations, incentives and employment benefits among others. The major objective is to ensure the employer does not exploit the employee and on the other hand, the employee honors the terms and conditions of the job as presented by the employer.

1. Assess proposals to institute pay for performance in federal agencies. What are the consequences of adopting new labor–management procedures at a time when the United States is deeply involved with homeland security and other national security concerns?