What is clearly evident is that the working people of America have had to unite in struggle to achieve the gains that they have accumulated during this century. Improvements did not come easily. Organizing unions, winning the right to representation, using the collective bargaining process as the core of their activities, struggling against bias and discrimination, the working men and women of America have built a trade union movement of formidable proportions.
Labor in America has correctly been described as a stabilizing force in the national economy and a bulwark of our democratic society. Furthermore, the gains that unions have been able to achieve have brought benefits, direct and indirect, to the public as a whole. It was labor, for example, that spearheaded the drive for public education for every child. The labor movement, indeed, has served as a force for American progress.
Now, in 2000, as the American trade union movement looks toward its second century, it takes pride in its first “century of achievement” as it recognizes a substantial list of goals yet to be achieved.
In this past century, American labor has played a central role in the elevation of the American standard of living. The benefits which unions have negotiated for their members are, in most cases, widespread in the economy and enjoyed by millions of our fellow citizens outside the labor movement. It is often hard to remember that what we take for granted-vacations with pay, pensions, health and welfare protection, grievance and arbitration procedures, holidays never existed on any meaningful scale until unions fought and won them for working people.
Through these decades, the labor movement has constantly reached out to groups in the American society striving for their share of opportunity and rewards…to the blacks, the Hispanics and other minorities….. to women striving for jobs and equal or comparable pay . . . to those who work for better schools, for the freedom of speech, press and assembly guaranteed by the Bill of Rights … to those seeking to make our cities more livable or our rural recreation areas more available . . . to those seeking better health for infants and more secure status for the elderly.
Through these decades, in addition, the unions of America have functioned in an economy and a technology marked by awesome change. When the Federation of Organized Trades and Labor Unions gathered in convention in 1881, Edison had two years earlier invented the electric light, and the first telephone conversation had taken place just five years before. There were no autos, no airplanes, no radio, no television, no air conditioning, no computers or calculators, no electronic games. For our modest energy needs-coal, kerosene and candies, we were independently self-sufficient.
The labor movement has seen old industries die (horse-shoeing was once a major occupation) and new industries mature. The American workforce, once predominantly “blue collar,” now finds “white collar” employees and the “gray collar” people of the service industries in a substantial majority. The workforce in big mass production industries has contracted, and the new industries have required employees with different skills in different locations. Work once performed in the United States has been moved to other countries, often at wage levels far below the American standards. Multinational, conglomerate corporations have moved operations around the globe as if it were a mammoth chessboard. The once thriving U.S. merchant marine has shriveled.
A new kind of “growth industry”-consultants to management skilled in the use of every legal loophole that can frustrate union organizing, the winning of representation elections, or the negotiation of a fair and equitable collective bargaining agreement-has mushroomed in recent years, and threatens the stability of labor-management relationships. A group of organizations generally described as the “new right” enlist their followers in retrogressive crusades to develop an anti-union atmosphere in the nation, and to repeal or mutilate various social and economic programs that have brought a greater degree of security and peace of mind to the millions of American wage earners in the middle and lower economic brackets.
Resistance to modest proposals like the labor law reform bill of 1977, and the use of lie detectors and electronic surveillance in probing the attitudes and actions of employees are a reminder that opposition to unions, while changing in style from the practices of a few decades ago, is still alive and flourishing often financed by corporate groups, trade associations and extremist ideologues.
Yet through this dizzying process of change, one need remains constant-the need for individual employees to enjoy their human rights and dignity, and to have the power to band together to achieve equal collective status in dealing with multi-million and multi-billion dollar corporations. In other words, there is no substitute for the labor union.
American labor’s responsibility in its second century is to adjust to the new conditions, so that it may achieve optimum ability to represent its members and contribute to the evolutionary progress of the American democratic society.
There is a question we can ask: What could modern U.S. unions do to increase membership? A fact is that most students or young people have a bad image of labor unions or do not succeed in having their own idea. Maybe, unions should conduct a campaign to make students aware of their functions. But this the field of public relations.
Другие работы по теме:
American Industrial Revolution Essay Research Paper The
American Industrial Revolution Essay, Research Paper The growth in large-scale industry and labor unions in the second half of the nineteenth century can be explained in many ways. Unlike earlier in the century, now there were broad markets, fast expansion in good economic times, thus causing a rise in demand for more goods.
2Nd Law Of Thermodynamics Vs E Essay
, Research Paper Second Law of Thermodynamics vs. Evolution According to the second law of thermodynamics, when energy is converted from one form to another, the amount of useful energy decreases. In relation to the theory of evolution, this law is not contradictory. The second law of thermodynamics is not relating to energy within living things because living things retain energy from the sun.
Biogeography Essay Research Paper bBiogeographyAfter reading the
Biogeography Essay, Research Paper bBiogeography After reading the text on David Quammen?s voyage through many different islands of the world, I was hit with a certain impression of the world. The first thing that amazed me about how David Quammen wrote the book is that, within a few chapters I felt that the timeline of the creation of earth and suddenly shrunk immensely.
Slavery And Evolution Of The Cherokee Essay
, Research Paper ENC3240 A Review of Slavery and Evolution of the Cherokee Society 1540-1866 by Theda Perdue In this well-written book by Theda Perdue, he discloses much of the history of slavery among the Cherokee people and their evolution during this 326 year period. He begins with their abduction by the Spanish.
American Federation Of Labor Essay Research Paper
THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR Early american workers dealt with many problems. These problems ranged from child labor to unemployment. The workers also tried to set up groups, called unions, that they could call their own. The owners of the companies they worked for could not give the workers what they deserved because of their unions.
The Haymarket Riot Essay Research Paper Haymarket
The Haymarket Riot Essay, Research Paper Haymarket Riot Early in 1886 labor unions were beginning a movement for an eight-hour day. Serious trouble was anticipated and on May 1 many workers struck for shorter hours. An active group of radicals and anarchists became The involved in the campaign. Two days later shooting and one death occurred during a riot at the McCormick Harvester plant in Chicago when police tangled with the rioters.
Flaws In Germinal Essay Research Paper The
Flaws In Germinal Essay, Research Paper The Flaws in Germinal At first glance, one might say the capitalist system is righteous and it leads to more productivity, but upon discreet examination, the system has numerous flaws. As we discussed in class, one of the main flaws was the inability of the workers to advance themselves in society beyond the point of keeping food in their stomachs.
Unionism Bad For America Essay Research Paper
Unionism, Bad for America 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.
Governmental Issues Essay Research Paper AUTHOR Scott
Governmental Issues Essay, Research Paper AUTHOR: Scott of the Insurgency Culture Collective (United States) NOTE: Please note the ‘Bold’ marks. ‘The Anarchist Response to Crime’ [BOLD]“In The Descent of Man, [Charles Darwin] gave some powerful pages to illustrate its proper, wide sense. He pointed out how, in numberless animal societies, the struggle between separate individuals for the means of existence disappears, how struggle is replaced by co-operation, and how that substitution results in the development of intellectual and moral faculties which secure to the species the best conditions for survival.
Industrial Revolution DBQ Essay Research Paper The
Industrial Revolution DBQ Essay, Research Paper The impact of the Industrial Revolution was a positive experience for some, but it was a great difficulty for others. Because of the demands for reform and protection for workers arose, government and unions began to take place. That was how the evils of the Industrial Revolution addressed in England in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Unions Essay Research Paper The Role Of
Unions Essay, Research Paper The Role Of Unions in SocietyIn the past, unions were established to protect the dignity and the basic rights of the worker. Union protection of the worker is genuine in well-established countries. Unfortunately, in third world countries workers do not enjoy the benefits of suitable wages, sick leave, and respect from their employer.
Ecolabu Essay Research Paper Trade UnionTrade unions
Ecolabu Essay, Research Paper Trade UnionTrade unions can be defined as: the various labor organizations in the UnitedStates, each of which serves to consolidate, represent, and protect the rights of workers ina specific occupation or trade. They can be dated back to as early as the twelfth centurywhen craft guilds were formed.
Labor Unions Essay Research Paper What do
Labor Unions Essay, Research Paper What do you think of when you hear the phrase "labor unions?" Most people associate a negative connotation with labor unions. They think that labor
Genetic Engineering Essay Research Paper It is
Genetic Engineering Essay, Research Paper It is a well-known fact that drugs and alcohol can damage the fetus. The drugs may damage chromosomes in the fetus, which may develop into a deformity, mental problems, or even addiction to the drug. It is also
Cio Essay Research Paper Persuasive essayAFL
Cio Essay, Research Paper Persuasive essay AFL – CIO Working people need representation so that the jobs we work everyday are productive for us. We find this representation in the form of unions. The
Labor Forces Essay Research Paper The Massachusetts
Labor Forces Essay, Research Paper The Massachusetts AFL-CIO has partnered with the Massachusetts Business Roundtable to examine the future role of workforce training and education programs in the Commonwealth.
Child Labor Essay Research Paper Child LaborYOUNG
Child Labor Essay, Research Paper Child Labor YOUNG FACTORY WORKERS IN THE 1930?s The young factory workers did not earn high wages, the average pay was about $3.25 a week. But in the 1930?s a whole chicken would only cost about 15 cents. The hours worked in the factories were long. The girls worked 11to13 hours a day, six days a week.
Evolution Essay Research Paper Evolution The process
Evolution Essay, Research Paper Evolution The process by which all living things have developed from primitive life forms through changes occurring over billions of years is evolution. All living things arose through a long history of changes formed by physical and chemical processes that are still taking place.
Three Sides Of Labor Unions Essay Research
Paper Summarize the three arguments on labor unions. To start with, the Conservatives believe that labor unions are bad. They feel that labor unions have too much power for their size. Labor unions use this power as blackmail against companies, by becoming labor monopolies. They ask too much of companies, causing either the company to shut down, or to supply more money for the employees.
Unions Essay Research Paper Labor Unions
Unions Essay, Research Paper Labor Unions Since the foundation of the American Federation of Labor(AFL) in 1886, most unions in the united States have displayed a pragmatic out look, largely compatible with that of business. The general purpose of unions has been to protect and advance the well being of workers, while that of business has been to promote the interests of stockholders.
How US Technology Effects Modern America Essay
, Research Paper Wage Trends The microeconomic picture of the U.S. has changed immensely since 1973, and the trends are proving to be consistently downward for the nation’s high school graduates and high school dropouts. “Of all the reasons given for the wage squeeze – international competition, technology, deregulation, the decline of unions and defense cuts – technology is probably the most critical.
Renewal In Italian Labor Union Essay Research
Paper What is the cause of the recent revival in the Italian labor unions? In the past five decades, Italian labor unions have been like a Ping Pong ball, bouncing from weak and divided to strong and united. Membership has also been increasing and decreasing as the unity and strength have been fluctuating. Over the past ten years, Italian unions have experienced a remarkable resurgence.
Labor Unions Essay Research Paper Labor UnionsA
Labor Unions Essay, Research Paper Labor Unions A labor union is as defined in the dictionary, an organization of wage earners formed for the purpose of serving the members’ interests with respect to wages and working conditions. Today there are about 16 million workers in the U.S. that belong to a labor union.
Unmanaged Heart Essay Research Paper Can a
Unmanaged Heart Essay, Research Paper Can a person?s heart be controlled? Do all people go have some form of emotional management or emotional labor in their lives? In the book, The Managed
American Labor Unions Essay Research Paper The
American Labor Unions Essay, Research Paper The American Labor Movement of the nineteenth century developed as a result of the city-wide organizations that unhappy workers were establishing. These men and women were determined to receive the rights and privileges they deserved as citizens of a free country.
Is Evolution A Fact Or A Theory
? Essay, Research Paper Is Evolution a Fact or a Theory? Both. In Darwin’s day, and before, many naturalists theorized that living things were somehow related in a manner beyond that of their obvious common differences from non-living matter. These speculations, including those of Darwin, are appropriately termed theories: speculations about nature that were informed by observation and subject to test by additional observations.
Evolution Essay Research Paper 1a The
Evolution Essay, Research Paper 1)a. The first stated that sedimentary rocks are laid down in a horizontal manner, and the second stated that younger rock units were deposited on top of older rock units.
Meat Facorties From The 1920S (The Jungle)
) Essay, Research Paper Meat Factories! How Disgusting! Meat factories have been recently under sedge because of how things are done. The whole ordeal started with the unions? workers strike for more pay. From there this situation just got worse. Labor spies had been infiltrated into the union, meaning that the executives knew what was going on before it happened.
History Of The Labor Movement In Th
United States Essay, Research Paper This is a brief history of the labor movement in the United States from the late eighteen hundreds to the present. In 1881 a movement
Child Labor Essay Research Paper My opinion
Child Labor Essay, Research Paper My opinion is that child labor was one of the most terrible acts in the 1800 s. I am sure that there were more than enough adults to take care of the jobs that small child had to do. I think that child labor sick and twisted and anyone who believes in it should not be considered human.