Importance Of Labor Unions

The song, “The Workers’ Anvil,” written by Laura M. Griffing, is about workers who joined labor union to bargain for better pay, and working conditions. This is known as striking. The song is written in hope for change in better pay and have a safe work environment. Owners are enjoying their tremendous amount of profit that they earn at the expense of the workers.

Coming from a family that relies on unions has greatly influenced my outlook on life. I was raised believing that being in a union was the best option, and this is what I truly think. My father and step father are both union stewards. My dad works for AT&T and has belonged to IBEW Local 21 for almost 21 years now. My step dad has been a part of Laborers Local 477 for 11 years. About three years ago, he became a correctional officer where he joined FOP and AFSCME in addition to the Laborer’s. Growing up around these two men has empowered me to fight for what I believe in both in work, school, and in life.

Although major issues—such as Jim Crow laws, labor conflicts, and economic uncertainties—still existed, the majority of people thought of the 1920s as a period of unrivalled prosperity which would never end, and believed that the standard of living would go inexorably upwards, forever, or at least for a long period of time. Of course, these visions would prove false when the stock market crashed in 1929. As the Great Depression wore on, Americans became increasingly aware of the tragedies many faced in the United States, and the plight of poor workers again became the subject of a great number of protest songs. This time, the leading singer-activist affiliated with the labor movement was not Joe Hill, but “Aunt” Molly Jackson. Jackson, who was raised in a coal mining town in Kentucky in the late 19th century, was a member of the United Mine Workers during the “Harlan County War” in Kentucky of 1931-32, a conflict in which unionized miners fought with mine operators.

See, e.g., Marion Crain & Ken Matheny, Beyond Unions, Notwithstanding Labor Law, 4 U.C. IRVINE L. REV. 561, 562–53 (2014). “Unions served as a vehicle for worker voice and political influence . . . .”

Labor unions are a gathering of people for a united cause. People within a labor union fight for common goals such as better pay and fair working conditions. In most cases when a union attacks a certain aspect it is so they can all acquire the same out come, such as raising the minimum wage to twelve dollars an hour for all. The primary reason unions were created was because workers weren’t always treated appropriately throughout history. Industrial leaders would make maximum profit by making their employees work twelve to fifteen hour workdays for seven days a week and they would only earn pennies for each hour of work. The conditions in which employees conducted work was unsafe and unhealthy yet no one could complain because they could not afford to lose their job. This is when labor unions were introduced, at first they started off small only pertaining to a specific geological area in regards to a specific craft such as shoe making in Philadelphia. The smaller unions are known as locals, an employee affiliated with the union is then appointed as a liaison between their fellow workers and the corporation making them the shop steward. However, people realized they held power in numbers and ultimately national unions were established such as the, Knights of Labor.

Labor Unions: Aging Dinosaur or Sleeping Giant? The Labor Movement and Unionism Background and Brief History Higher wages! Shorter workdays! Better working conditions! These famous words echoed throughout the United States beginning in “1790 with the skilled craftsmen” (Dessler, 1997, p. 544). For the last two-hundred years, workers of all trades have been fighting for their rights and “seeking methods of improving their living standards, working conditions, and job security” (Boone, 1996,p.287). As time went by, these individuals came to the conclusion that if they work together collectively, they would grow stronger to get responses to their demands. This inspired into what we know today as labor unions. “A labor union

Labor unions have existed in one form or another in the United States since the birth of the country. They were created in an effort to protect the working population from abuses such as sweatshops and unsafe working conditions. On the other hand, they have also been accused of crippling industries and consorting with organized crime over the decades. But in one way or another, labor unions have been

The strong mutual support from other unions along with public protest made an intimidating crowd against the employers. The media was significant in spreading their message and emphasizing the reality of these factory workplaces. With increasing the support from middle and upper class citizens we target more of other portion of the population to back up the working class’s cause. Using testimonials and interviews the media portrayed Max Blanck and Isaac Harris as evil, greedy, and heartless. An example would be from American Federationist, which uses emotionally loaded language to capture a reader’s emotional response. The outcry that is generated can be attributed from the descriptive language of the incident reported by the

Unionism is the concept that traditionally business, especially big businesses are inherently going to exploit their employees. Therefore, in order to protect themselves, the workers form organizations called unions, in which all laborers who work at a certain craft, or in a certain industry band together. By this process of “joining forces”, the unions gain power in numbers. Unions traditionally try to protect employee interests by negotiating with employers for wages and benefits, working hours, and better working conditions.

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,

For instance, the second section examines images of workers and unionists in LIFE magazine while the third focuses on media coverage of a strike at Hershey Chocolate. According to Quirke, publications like LIFE appeared to celebrate the working-class man by publishing photographs of union leaders and organized strikes. However, she argues that this coverage constructed a “heroic, but also menacing and passive” image of the average worker that identified more so with the American values of large corporations than the activism and struggle of the real working class (3). These images, according to Quirke, promoted conservativism and conformity and narrowed the audience’s understanding of what a laborer should or could do. Quirke also discusses the ways in which unions used photojournalism to their advantage by examining the United Steelworkers of America’s publication, Steel Labor. For instance, she argues that the stoic portraits of the union’s leader attempted to reinforce their authority by presenting them as the calm antithesis to the radical unionist with extreme

The 1950’s protest music discussed unions and the labor movement. “Is there aught we hold in common with the greedy parasite, who would lash us into serfdom and would crush us with his might? Is there anything left to us but to organize and fight? For the union makes us strong” (Seeger, 1950). This example comes from the song, “Solidarity Forever,” written in 1915, and performed by Pete Seeger in 1950.

What is the role of management and unions in society today? How has this changed in the last 100 years?

The first stanza of The Internationale brings awareness to the working class. By repeating the lyrics “stand up,” the song tells the poor it is time for change. The lyrics address the masses directly through the utilization of strong and vivid language to describe their condition of living. By using phrases such as “damned of the Earth,” “prisoners of hunger,” and “enslaved masses” the first stanza is able to draw attention to working class poverty and oppression. This descriptive language drives the proletariats towards an awareness of their current economic and social position.

Labor Unions have become an important factor in our industries. For many years, labor unions have served as the main voice of the workers to their employers. The continuous effort of labor unions in helping the laborers ensure their rights in their jobs, acquire all the benefits they need and to eliminate the injustice experienced by workers in their workplace is still an ongoing process. In order to understand labor unions in general, knowing the roots of it is the best way to start. In this paper, the progress of the labor unions throughout history, the issues faced the developments it achieved, laws passed and the problem faced by today’s unions will be tackled.