Development of Nigerian Labour Congress

The first step in order to become unionized, an organizing committee needs to be formed that represents all the workers that want to be unionized. The committee needs to be educated enough to share the about the union and possible anti-union campaigns set by management. The organizing committee also has to know the different structures in the workplace, basic employee information and the employers’ information (UE 1). Step two, the organizing committee has to set up campaigns in which they will collectively determine what the “issues” are and what employees demand from the union (Carrell 136). Step three, is without a doubt the most crucial step, it determines whether a union can even come in to bargain with an employer. The employees are asked to join the union and support the union with a union recognition strategy. This is usually done with card-check also known as a card- campaign is held in which more than 50% (sizable majority) have to sign agreeing to the union being their legal bargaining unit (Carrell 136, UE 1). Step four, the union bargains with management and hopefully a union contract is

Unions were formed to protect and improve the rights of workers. Their first order of business was to establish the eight-hour workday and in 1866, the national labor union was formed. Labor movements were around before 1866, but few organized up until this point. Unions created an environment for workers with difficult tasks, creating better pay, safer work conditions, and sanitary work conditions. Unions made life better for many Americans in the private sector. Collective bargaining became the way in which employers and a group of employees reached agreements, coming to a common consensus. From 1866 to the early 1900’s Unions continued to make headways increasing membership and power. The real gains started in 1933 after several pieces of legislature, which saved banks, plantations, and farmers. The American Federation of Labor (AFL) proposed an important, and controversial, amendment to the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933. It insisted that language from the pro-labor Norris-LaGuardia Act of 1932 be added to the simple declaration of the right to collective bargaining. The setbacks the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) suffered in Little Steel and textiles in the latter half of 1937, and in Congress from 1938 to 1940, despite the gains made by the AFL, by 1940 the amendment had stalled. WWII created a rapid buildup within the industrial complex, creating more work for women and African Americans, overshadowing the union’s inability to project their power

The AFL--CIO was now the nation's dominant labor organization, but this achievement was already being undermined by changes in the American economy and work force--most notably, the growing loss of jobs in the manufacturing sector where unions had been strongest. In 1945 nearly one-third of American workers belonged to a union; by 1990 the proportion had fallen to less than one-fifth.

Unions began to form early in the 1800's but they didn't gain any traction until the 1860's. The

To help bring about congressional change, the National Labor Union was created in 1866 “to pressure Congress to make labor law reforms” (Library of Congress). It was composed of “national associations of unions” with “trade-printers, machinists, stone cutters” and others (American Federationist).

Labor union history began when the National Labor Union (NLU) was founded in 1866. After the creation of this union, several followed after. Many riots occurred during this time, the Haymarket Riot was one of the main reasons that the American Federation of Labor (AFL) was created. The AFL will be a major part in the labor movement in the future. Labor unions began due to the need to protect the workers. These labor unions formed to fight for reasonable hours, better pay, and safer working conditions. These stipulations that the labor unions pushed for did not come from greed. Many laborers were dying from different jobs. People were required to work 12 or more hour days, 7 days a week for such a small amount of pay. Due to the overworking of these laborers, it caused them to make mistakes. Not only were companies over working these people, they were hiring inexperienced people with little to no training. Thousands upon thousands of people died because of this. To prevent this from occurring labor unions were created to ne the barrier between a company and the workers, the unions are there to help negotiate any stipulations the workers may request. However, after the early to mid 1900’s the attendance and membership of unions declined drastically.

Unions began forming in the mid of 19th century in response to the Industrial Revolution. The National Labor Union began to form in the post- Civil War Era. One of the major force emerged in the late of 1880’s was the Knights of Labor, which collapsed for the reason of weak organization.

Unions have been around for a long time. The first recorded union was in 1792, when shoemakers in Philadelphia met to consider matters of common interest. This earliest form of

The history of the American labor movement coincides with the development of labor unions in the United States, from the initial local craft unions like the Federal Society of Journeyman Cordwainers (shoemakers), to the formation of national unions such as the National Labor Union (NLU) and the Knights of Labor, creation of the American Federation of Labor (AFL), and the Congress of International Organizations (CIO), the merger of the AFL-CIO, and its breakup through the defection of the national unions that formed the Change to Win (CTW) coalition (Fossum, 2012, pp. 27-34, 53-54). Paralleling the union development was a series of national labor legislation: Railway Labor Act (1926),

Labor organizations or unions are formed by employees who want better wages, benefits, and healthy working conditions. Over the years, participation in unions has declined regardless of the benefits it offers. There are less strikes and better wages in the United States which in turn does not warrant the high need for these types of organizations in the work place.

Labor unions have been in America for a very long time. There are many unions in a myriad of different fields. Labor unions were and are used to allow for equal treatment of workers. Employers always want to maximize their profits and they try to give the least to get the most in return. For reasons such as this is why unions were formed. Generally a union boss is appointed or hired to protect the rights and privileges of the employees. The union boss is generally very representative of the demographics of the workers. The leader of the employees needs to know what they want and what is fair for them and this is why he tends to represent one type of work force, such as

Since the 1980’s trade union membership numbers have declined rapidly ( Balnave et al, 2007, pg 130). Once upon a time it was quiet important for employees to be part of a union as it entitled them to have a collective voice, and power to build a pleasurable workplace. There have been many factors that have contributed to

1995 Plans emerge to ensure the unification of the labor union efforts of the IAM, steel and auto workers, which would create the largest labor union in the globe, with over 2,000,000 acting members and 400,000 retirees

Labor Unions began in the United States in the mid-late 1800’s. The first founding labor union was the National Labor Union, started in 1866. This labor union was not set on a particular type of worker and even though it did not succeed in making a difference in workers’ rights, it set an important precedent in our country. Being a part of a labor union has lots of pros and cons, as well as, because of them, the right to work movement was created.

Okeke,2014. Pressure groups and policy process in Nigeria: a case of fourth republic. Nigeria: Vincent Onyekwelu Su