Unions Should Stay A Part Of The Workplace

During this time pay was low and working conditions were very bad. People were working in factories for large companies. These issues combined to make many workers unhappy with their position in life. They wanted a much better deal for themselves and they thought that unions were a good way to achieve that. It was in this way, industrialization led to the rise of labor unions.

Labor unions were established as a way for workers’ needs and grievances to be heard by management. According to Fossum (2012), “forming a union creates a collective voice to influence change at work” (p. 7). The collective voice of workers in a union holds much more power than any single employee’s voice. It can loudly draw attention to mistreatment or abuse of workers. The organized collective voice of workers demands to be treated in a fair way by its management in terms of wages, hours, benefits, and working conditions.

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.

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).

Unions were formed for a good reason, to fight back and  get their rights they deserved. It was to make sure no one person was fighting alone. The Union was a good way for the workers to have a strong voice. Striking was the easiest way to try to make the company weak. The Great Strike of

The role of unions and their importance has changed over the years. A mixture of poor wages, high unemployment, non-existent benefits and insignificant professional stability amongst the more youthful era makes a ready demographic for restoration. The younger era is the slightest unionized section of our general public today by a long shot. Unions are important in today’s society because checks and balances are necessary entities in business and government, so if CEOs are just focusing on themselves and profits, unions are a necessary check to all that corporate power. Today and in the future, labor unions will continue to play an important role in our country 's work force and the quality of life for working families.

Many labor unions fought for better working hours and better working conditions, but it was more than that it was a fight for basic human rights. Humans are meant to be treated with respect and sympathy. People would work twelve hours a day and seven days a week in order to obtain the money to sufficiently support their own family. Americans started to realize the cruel working hours and conditions, so many labor unions were formed to protest for better wages, hours, and working conditions. Unions like the National Labor Union, Knights of Labor, and many other strikes were formed to protest against these inhumane conditions.

There is a proven history behind the efforts of labor union. Unions fought and succeeded in advancing the concerns of the work force as a whole. It is a testament to the efforts of labor union that even with the steady drop in membership labor unions are still able maintain safe work environment and provide good wages for members. This is impressive given that in the beginning it was the size of membership that gave the labor unions a most effective weapon in the form of a strike. Ultimately what is at stake here are our very livelihoods.

Unions grew out of the necessity to protect the American people during an age where a demand for unskilled labor into the workforce to provide cheap labor. This source of cheap labor came in the form of immigrants, women and children. The sheer amount of available workers made every employee expendable. This forced people to work longer hours for lower wages because there was always someone else willing

Our country’s labor laws were written back in the 1930s, and they haven’t changed much since. Those laws are based on the assumption that labor and management are adversaries – that they are enemies – and that they are in conflict with each other. The role of a union is to help labor in their fight against management. It’s the exact opposite of

If unions are that beneficial to workers, why the increasing decline? Several reasons come into play. One issue being, there has been a rapid growth within particular categories, such as women. There are more women currently in the labor force, who are more prone to working sporadically and half the time compared to others. Secondly, there has been a decline in union’s actively engaging new members, as well as their being a steady increase in the employer’s unwillingness to take part in unionization attempts. Additionally, because society has shifted from unionized corporations with a manufacturing-based economy to a service-based economy has made it more difficult to unionize. Although, there have been uncontrollable and controllable forces that have led to the decreasing popularity of unions, they have still managed to make up for it in vital areas, such as wages, benefits, working conditions, and others. Whether or not individuals view labor unions as positive or negative organizations, they will always matter.

To begin with the most important role is that Unions have undoubtedly been a leading force in refining and transform the laws by democratizing the economies of each nation. Like it has been mentioned previously that unions play a vital role in increasing and sustaining democracy of the society, unions are significantly important for democracy, not just in the working institution, but also in the society :-globally, nationally, and locally. Unions make democracy work more desirable and suitable, they stress for more useful policies to be used for socially, economically and environmentally. A justified and democratic society relies on an active and free labor movement. It is undoubtedly countries where there are active and free labor union

Workers should have the right to unionize. They should have a power in how they are treated and compensated at the workplace. Strikes are a great resource that unions can use. I believe that workers should go on strike when there is a serious issue. Workers should not go on strike for minor things and they should strike morally. Workers in the medical field cannot have a strike out without informing their employer beforehand. Strikes can bring effective change and should be

By the turn of the 1900s, America was established on a free market economy. This economy was based on laissez faire, Social Darwinism, and capitalist ideas which allowed business owners to unrestrictedly come down to conclusions in regards of their business. This unlimited power stimulated the growth of labor unions amongst the workers, which essentially restrained the business owners’ power and demanded them to upgrade the work environment and conditions. The labor unions united and went against former labor regulations. Their associations went on strikes and spawned riots in the work field. Their objective was to improve poor work settings which were described as hazardous, unsanitary, and detrimental. Therefore, labor unions not only positively amended the workplace, but altered the free market in a positive and fair manner.

The relationship between unions and organization is a touchy one. Dating back to the start of unionization in the 19th century, the two bodies have held opposing viewpoints. Unionization was formed from the opinion that organizations took advantage of workers and some form of a negotiating agreement was needed. There were documented events of workers working long taxing hours for insignificant pay; no healthcare coverage; dangerous working conditions; and gender and or racial discrimination. Companies believed that unionization caused less productivity which endangered profits. Companies also believed that unions interfere in daily processes, and limits the employer’s say over compensation and benefits. The