Rev LU 1: Intro to Labor & Unions

The labor movement uses the power of the strength in numbers to seek a greater share of society's resources for labor movement members, workers, & other selected group w/ which they have allied

Workers form unions to redress grievances in the workplace such as inadequate or unfair wages, work that is too rapidly paced, unfair retention & promotion practices, & exclusion from decision making

When workers first have problems in the workplace they tend to blame themselves, then they discuss the problems only w/ a few trusted coworkers, & thus workers may been seen as going through THREE stages

Workers deal w/ problems in the stages of individualism, work group support, & collective action

Workers deal w/ workplace problems in stage one by being individualistic, apathetic, withdrawn, & by quitting

In the second stage of addressing workplace problems workers go to the informal work group in the hopes it will provide a medium for airing complaints in collective terms

In the second stage of addressing workplace problems workers may also rely on family, community or ethnic group ties

Solutions in the second stage of addressing workplace problems tend to remain largely personal

In addressing workplace problems, some specific events may stimulate the transition from the second stage of work group support to organized collective action

The transition to collective action frequently requires leadership from one or more outspoken workers

Collective action will occur only if workers are committed enough to their jobs to forgo the option of leaving & if a significant core of workers sufficiently overcomes fears of mgt reprisal to start organizing coworkers

The third stage of addressing workplace problems is some form of collective action which may include forming a union, forming a workers' committee to represent workers to mgt & address problems, going outside the workplace to some other org such as a govt. agency, etc.

What Do Unions Do?

Unions have SEVEN major functions, including:

a. addressing the needs of the union membership & other workers

b. organizing & rallying workers to join a union

c. negotiating via collective bargaining over wages, hours, benefits, workplace rules, etc.

d. implementing contracts by overseeing the workplace to ensure compliance w/ contracts & govt rules, regs, laws, etc.

e. addressing grievances; where the union perceives workers are treated "illegally," the union will be an advocate for them

f. lobbying the govt & bringing court cases to shape the law of the land to address workers' needs

g. participate in politics through participation in the formation of public policy in light of workers' needs

Unions collectivize bargaining power & attempt to create monopoly power

Unions give workers voice power

Unions organize workers, campaign to win representation, conduct elections, & negotiate for wages & benefits for the members

Unions negotiate contracts: aka engage in collective bargaining for:
   wages
   fringe benefits
   hours
   working conditions
   grievance settlements
   union security (right of one union to represent workers)

Unions organize strikes & other disputes

Unions lobby

Unions implement apprenticeship programs

Other union activities in running hiring halls & education of union members & the public

Which Side Are You On?' Why Organize?

Workers join unions because of perceived "injustices" & because their expectations are not met in workplace

Perceived net worth from union (benefits - cost = worth) FIGURE 1 - 2

List benefits & costs of unions

Workers are voting for an indirect voice through representation

For a union to represent a group of wkrs, the majority of workers must choose the union

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Time
Period

Outline on a Historical Overview of the Labor Movement

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Introduction: Marx 1818 -1883
Wealth could only be created by labor
Another class: owners: monied aristocracy
10 % own 90 % of the wealth, & thus also have more power
In a democracy, unions are necessary to help balance this power
1999 in US: richest 17 mm have same amount of wealth as poorest 100 mm
Most of the Labor Movement want this inequality leveled out to a certain extent

Summary: Before unions, workers had almost no voice in determining wages, hours, working conditions, etc.
Since the shift from agricultural econ to the industrial economy, there was a consistent surplus of labor
Workers always recognized that collective power was greater than individual power
From the very beginning, those in power regarded unions/ guilds / prof assoc as immoral /illegal etc.
The US the courts viewed unions as illegal until the late 1800s, & it wasn't until the early 1900s that actual union legality was established

10 K
BC

Early Worker Associations formed estbing the Labor Movements prior in the Pre Empire Era circa 10 K BC - 500 AD

Early Worker Associations, circa 1500 BC, were closed groups of profl assocs which arose as a collective response to exploitation

The qualities of the early professional associations influenced the modern Labor Movement

500

Guilds were common in the Labor Movement in the Middle Ages circa 500 - 1300

Craft Guilds developed during the Medieval Era, circa 400 - 1600

Craft unions & guilds spread from Rome to Europe, & eventually to the US

Guilds evolved into other types of labor associations

1300

The Labor Movement during the early industrial revolution began its move from craft guild to labor unions circa 1300 - 1700

The Industrial Revolution created the decapitalization of Labor

Labor Parties first developed in Europe

Craft unions came to US via European immigrants

There were many early US Labor Movement actions

1700

The Labor Movement during the Industrial Age gained power & legitimacy circa 1700 - present

Illegality to Legality
In the early 1800s, unions were illegal & forced to exist as secret societies
In the mid 1800s, unions became legal, but strikes were still illegal

During the industrial age, many unions were born, some have gone out of existence
NLU    1866 - 1872
KOL     1869 - 1899
AFL      1869 - 1955
IWW     1905

During the industrial age, court cases were very important for the Labor Movement

There were many historic strikes, & other forms of labor unrest during this era
Molly Maguires                   1865
Haymarket Square Riot       1886
Homestead Strike                1892
Pullman Strike                     1894
Danbury Hatters Boycott     1906

During the indl age, some noteworthy legislation was passed, but legislation legalizing Labor Movement as we know it today does not occur until the next era

1910

The Labor Movement & Global Capitalism, as global capitalism developed, Labor lost power

During the era of global cap, the Labor Movement gained full legitimacy in the form of all the rights & obligations it possesses today

During the era of global cap, more important unions were born including the
CIO 1935 - 1955
AFL CIO merged in 1955

During the era of global cap, there were many historic strikes, & other forms of labor unrest, especially the
Triangle Fire 1911
Ludlow Massacre 1914

During the era of global cap, the cornerstone labor relations legislation was passed, legalizing Labor Mvmt as we know it today

Business Unionism, aka "The Great Labor Compromise," allowed the Labor Mvmt to gain legitimacy but limited Labor's options

1970

The Labor Movement During the Post Industrial Age lost much influence & struggled to reinvent itself

During the post indl era, public employees unions came to the fore front

Labor law in the 1970s addressed the issues of public sector wkrs

During this era, the Labor Movement experienced its greatest decline & also began its resurgence

2010...

The Future of the Labor Movement

The Future of the Labor Mvmt is fraught w/ many challenges related to changes in the economy, govt support, etc., but the assets of the Labor movement, such as a committed leadership & membership, will find opportunities in new sectors of the economy & in unorganized workers

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Outline on Early Worker Associations: Labor Movements prior to Craft Unions & Guilds
circa 10 K BC - 500 AD

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Early "worker associations," which were often "professional associations," ( EWAs ) began in early Egypt & other mideastern countries circa 1500 BC

Unions arise in the ancient era, as today, as a collective response to exploitation, to represent wkrs' interests to the employer, to increase mkt control, & to provide a safety net for wkrs

Many qualities of the early profl associations influenced the modern labor mvmt

Early worker associations ( EWAs ) consisted of closed groups of workers or professionals, including:
priests philosophers masons engineers
doctors lawyers accountants

The distinction btwn workers & profls has histl construction itself, in that profls were afforded status, wealth, & power

Before unions, workers had almost no voice in determining wages, hours, working conditions, control of the wkplace, etc.

Before the the development of indl econ, there was often a shortage of labor as there was little population pressure & little technology to displace wkrs

Since the shift from agl econ to the indl econ, there was a consistent surplus of labor

Workers always recognized that collective power was greater than individual power

From the very beginning, those in power regarded unions, guilds, & professional association as immoral, illegal etc.

In the US the courts viewed unions as illegal until the late 1800s & it wasn't until the early 1900s that actual union legality was established

The qualities of the early professional associations influenced the modern labor movement

Early worker or professional associations have FIVE qualities:

a. EWAs often were "secret societies" because the rulers opposed any consolidation of knowledge/ power

b. EWAs began some form of initiation, training, graduation (apprenticeship, journeyman, master)

c. EWAs indirectly established contemporary modern union prerogatives: wages, hours, benefits, conditions

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d. EWAs directly controlled growth & dissemination of knowledge

e. EWAs never went on strike: power was 'long term:' control of apprentice numbers, control of knowledge

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Outline on Guilds: The Labor Movement in the Middle Ages
circa 500 - 1300

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Craft guilds developed during the Medieval Era, circa 400 - 1600

Craft unions & guilds spread from the Roman Empire to Europe, & eventually to the US

Guilds evolve into other types of labor associations

Guild is the modern form of the word 'gild'

A gild is a society of persons organized to further common interest & purposes

Gilds were one of the associations, numerous in the middle ages, each composed of person belonging to & regulating a particular trade or industry

Gilds were formed to further group interests, provide mutual aid, provide protection & maintain work & product standards

The first gilds in the middle ages were groups of merchants & artisans

During this era, the middle ages, merchants were a new class of traders who were coming to power, challenging the power of the aristocrats

Artisans were any type of workers who developed specialized skills in weaving, metal-working, etc.

Today, guilds are often benevolent societies or groups of artisans

Craft unions were important in ancient Rome

Guilds established reasonable wages, hours, & job security

Guilds established the apprentice / journeyman / master system, which is used in unions today, but not as much as in the past

The apprentice / journeyman / master system was brought to the US, but guilds were not welcomed

Guilds evolved to other types of labor associations

Some guilds transformed into unions, trade associations, and professional associations

Some guilds became small business and then large businesses

Craft unions & guilds spread from Rome to Europe, & eventually to the US

Craft unions were important in medieval Europe

CGs began as alliances or guilds of workers in the skilled professions (masons, carpenters, metal workers, etc.)

There were THREE roles of early craft guilds

a. protect & control price, markets, job knowledge, etc.

b. provide sick relief & aid to widows & children

c. social functions: literacy, recreation, etc.

Early guilds were strong because they often formed within / around ethnic or immigrant groups which created strong ingroup solidarity

Solidarity is group cohesion based on common interests where sometimes people must sacrifice individual interests for the interest of the group

Guild solidarity did not provide for solidarity of the working class across regions or craft lines

Craft guilds eventually came to US via European immigrants

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Outline on the Labor Movement During the Early Industrial Revolution
circa 1300 - 1700

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The industrial revolution (IR) began w/ the expansion of transportation systems, the factory system, water power, etc.

During the IR, corps gained more power because of their unique quality of limited liability & because of concentration of capital in ever larger amounts

The IR began a process known as the decapitalization of labor

Before the IR, a worker in the guild system controlled tools, prices, knowledge, etc., i.e. all the "assets" of the firm

After the IR, workers became wage slaves who worked only for wages & brought little more than raw labor power to the workplace

Today, skilled workers are gaining in this respect: i.e. through more skills brought to job, today's workers are recapitalizing labor

Labor parties first developed in Europe

Craft guilds eventually came to US via European immigrants

Early Labor Movement Actions ( These workers are not technically workers, but owners )

1636: Maine fishermen take collective action for withholding of payment for catch

1676: NYC: street cleaners strike against low wages

1741: NYC bakers refused to bake when a price ceiling was imposed

1768: NYC tailors bolted the shops of their masters & set up competing shops in a cooperative

1774: carpenters strike the Hibernian Iron Works

1778: NY journeymen printers win a wage increase

The next period, the Industrial Age, includes what Commons & Sumner (1910) termed the years of 1820 - 1840 as "The Awakening Period of the American Labor Movement."

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Outline on the Labor Movement During the Post Industrial Age circa 1970 - present

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During the Post Industrial Age (PIA), public employees unions came to the forefront

The Post Industrial Age is characterized by THREE major trends, including

a. the shift of the econ to services & high tech & the concomitant decline of heavy industry

b. Reaganism created govt deregulation & the growth of an anti Labor Mvmt climate

c. the decline & retrenchment of the Labor Mvmt

President Kennedy's Executive Order 10988 in the early 1960s & its codification in the Amended Taft Hartley Act of 1974 encouraged the rapid growth of unionism among public employees

In 1970 & following, strikes by police, teachers, & other govt workers affected many cities & states

The American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) a union of public workers, became the fastest growing US labor group

In the 1980s, collective bargaining:

- covered 150,000 labor contracts for over 18 mm workers

- covered half of the wkrs w/ only 2000 contracts

- resulted in give backs, down sizing, etc., as a result of deindustrialization, but this resulted in is less of a split btwn the core & the periphery

As had begun in 1980 w/ the election of Reagan, the political climate continued to shift to the right (conservatives gained power; liberals lost power)

In the 90s public sector & professional unions:

- resulted in almost 2/3s of the public sector being unionized

- academics & doctors, are becoming more unionized

- retained the exemption of farm workers from much labor & safety legislation, resulting in a low rate of unionization

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Outline on Union Membership

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Union demographics

Today, there are approximately 20 million US Union members

Gender make-up of Union Membership in the US is approximately 65 % male & 37 % female

21.3 % of working males are union members

14.8 % of working women are union members

Two of the 95 unions in AFL CIO have female president & women in other leadership positions have similar numbers

At the local level, women have a greater role than at the national level, but not proportional to men's number

Women are not generally involved in bargaining & grievance settlement

The racial demographics of the Labor Movement approximates the racial demographics of the working population they represent

Thus, the Labor Movement is nearly racially representative of the overall population, but is somewhat voluntarily concentrated by race because races & ethnic groups are occupationally concentrated

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The Table on Union Membership shows that participation in the Labor Movement grew until the 1950s, declined slowly until the 1980s then rapidly declined & has recently stabilized

Unions peaked in power from 1945 to 1955 when union membership percentages were the highest

The Table 6.1 Who Belongs to Unions? shows that union membership varies somewhat by various factors including industry, occupation, region, age, gender, race, education, & work status

Workers in transportation, govt., manufacturing, mining, & construction are more likely to be union members than workers in trade & services

Manual workers are more likely to be unions than are professionals, service, clerical, or farm workers

Workers in the Midwest, Northeast, & West are more likely to be union than are workers in the South

Because of more commitment to their jobs, older workers are more likely to be union

Men are more likely to be union than women, but women are being organized at a faster rate

In relation to union membership, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, et al are more likely to be union than are Whites

In reference to education, the largest segment of the unionized population has a high school diploma

Full time workers are more likely to be union that part time workers

The Table 6.2 The 25 Largest Labor Unions in the US shows that in general, big unions are going, but the reason the percentage of the workforce is declining is because the unions grow at a slower rate than the workforce

Unions are no longer confined to blue collar jobs in the manufacturing sector

In recent yrs., the white collar, professional, & service sectors are important growth sectors for the labor movement

	The Individual & the Local
	The union security clause in the collective bargaining agreement requires
	- members to join the union
	- nonmembers to pay an agency fee for representation
	In right to work states, the nonmembers pay nothing
	In some jobs (e.g. construction, maritime), unions the take lead in skill training & entry to employment
	Joining & Socialization
	We are socialized on the job by mgt., workers, the union, customers
	A union often exempts new workers from joining the union for a probationary period
	W/ a union shop, workers join immediately, & pay an initiation fee
	The steward introduces worker to union, union role, etc.

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Table on US Union Membership 1930 - 1999

Year

Total Wkrs
in millions

Union
in millions

% in Unions

1930

29.4

3.4

12%

1935

27.1

3.6

13%

1940

32.4

8.7

27%

1945

40.4

14.3

36%

1950

45.2

14.3

32%

1955

50.7

16.8

33%

1960

54.2

17.0

31%

1965

60.8

17.3

28%

1970

70.9

19.4

27%

1975

76.9

19.6

25%

1980

87.5

20.1

23%

1985

94.5

17.0

18%

1988

101.4

17.0

17%

1990

102.4

16.8

17%

1998

116.7

16.2

14%

1999

16.2

The Table on Union Membership shows that participation in the Labor Movement grew until the 1950s, declined slowly until the 1980s then rapidly declined & has recently stabilized

Green denotes the high in union membership in absolute numbers & in percentage, respectively. Note that unions peaked in power from 1945 to 1955 when union membership percentages were the highest

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Table 6.1 Who Belongs to Unions?

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Criterion

% Represented in 1993

% Represented in 1999

Industry

Manufacturing & mining

21 %

Mining

Construction

Transportation

Trade

Service industries

Govt.

Occupation

Professional

Service occupations

Clerical

Manual

Farm

Region

Northeast

Midwest

South

West

Age

16 - 24 yrs.

25 - 64 yrs.

Gender

Men

Women

Race

Minority

Hispanic

Black

White

Education

Less than high school

High school or more

Work Status: Hours

Full time

Part time

Total

Table 6.1 Who Belongs to Unions? shows that union membership varies somewhat by various factors including industry, occupation, region, age, gender, race, education, & work status

US Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 1993e, 1999; Statistical Abstracts of the US, 1993, 2000; Washington, DC, US Govt. GPO, p.436

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Table 6.2 The 25 Largest Labor Unions in the US

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Labor Organization

Members in Thousands, 1993

Members in Thousands, 1999

NEA

2,001

Teamsters

1,379

1,271

AFSCME

1,191

1,236

SEIU

881

1,081

Food & Commercial Workers

997

989

UAW

840

766

AFT

573

694

IBEW

730

655

CWA

492

504

Steelworkers

459

499

IAM

534

431

Carpenters

494

324

Laborers

406

298

Operating Engineers

330

294

Postal Workers

228

279

Paperworkers Intl Union

202

226

Hotel & Restaurant Employees

269

225

Plumbing & Pipe Fitting

220

Letter Carriers

210

Am. Fed. of Govt. Employees

151

170

Firefighters

151

156

Electronic, Electrical, & Tech Wkrs.

160

128

ILGWU

143

Transit Workers

Bakery, Confectionery & Tobacco Wkrs.

Clothing & Textile Wkrs.

154

UMW

240

Table 6.2 The 25 Largest Labor Unions in the US shows that in general, big unions are going, but the reason the percentage of the workforce is declining is because the unions grow at a slower rate than the workforce

US Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 1993e, Statistical Abstracts of the US, 1993, Washington, DC, US Govt. GPO, p. 435. Court Gifford, ed., Directory of US Labor Orgs. Washington, DC, Bureau of National Affairs

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Outline on Ideology

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AN IDEOLOGY IS A WAY OF THINKING, A WORLDVIEW

An ideology is a particular system of ideas, a characteristic way of thinking of a people, a group, or a person especially on social & political topics

An ideology is a system of thought based on related assumptions, beliefs, & explanations of social movements or policies

Ideologies are mental systems of beliefs about reality

An ideology may be understood as a "world view"

Ideology & culture are very similar in meaning. The definition for ideology asserts that the knowledge, beliefs, & values shared by a society give legitimacy to the social structure

An ideology is a system of ideas that is pre conscious that often embodies a rationalization of motivations

IDEOLOGIES COMBINE ALL FACETS OF SOCIAL EXISTENCE

An ideology's content may be economic, political, philosophical, or religious

Some ideologies, such as communism & socialism, refer to econ & political systems

Other ideologies are capitalism, democracy, fascism, feminism, Protestantism, racism, Roman Catholicism, totalitarianism, & more

Ideologies do not rely equally on factual info in supporting their beliefs

People who accept an entire thought system usually reject all other systems concerned w/ the same content

To such people, only conclusions based on their ideology seem logical & correct

people strongly committed to an ideology have difficulty understanding & communicating w/ supporters of a conflicting ideology

Conflicting ideologies held by various nations, social classes, or religious groups have led to the world's greatest & most dangerous controversies

For example, World War 2 was largely a struggle btwn democratic & totalitarian nations

IDEOLOGIES HAVE SOCIAL POSITIONS, I.E. EXIST IN A HISTL CONTEXT

Ideologies have a "social position" in that they often support or justify a party, class, or group

Ideology & contextual knowledge: Because we all have an ideology, & our own personal historical context true knowledge is impossible

Epistemology is the sociology of knowledge or how knowledge is socially created

Conflict theorists, Marxists, etc. believe that, narrowly speaking, consciousness, or broadly speaking, ideology, is shaped by the interaction of material ( working ) conditions & the dominant culture in which one finds oneself

A major focus of conflict theory is the examination of ideology which is a world view, including knowledge, opinions, etc.

For conflict theorists, our ideology is that part of our culture of which we are generally, but not specifically aware

Ideology is important to conflict theorists because they seek an end to class domination, & to achieve that end, people must first understand that they are exploited, & desire to end that exploitation

Social scientists know that their is an interaction of ideology & social position, but they do not agree on how that interaction operates

The materialists believe that one's social position determines ideology

The idealists believe that one's ideology determines social position

The conflict theorist / Marxist view is that social position determines one's view of society, i.e., one's world view or ideology

Montesquieu first developed the concept of the "contextualization" of knowledge as seen in many contemporary theories of ideology

MARX: CLASS DETERMINES CONSCIOUSNESS

Marx developed an analysis which held that class determines consciousness through a process that follows FOUR steps

a. labor determines class

b. labor & class determine consciousness

c. what you do, determines how you think

d. you are what you do

Marx developed an analysis which held that through the creative process of our labor, we develop an ideology which embodies the adage that "you are what you do"

CLASS CONSCIOUSNESS IS AN UNDERSTANDING OF YOUR OWN BEST INTEREST

Class consciousness occurs when a group of people w/ a common self interest correctly perceive that interest & develop beliefs, values, & norms consistent w/ advancing that interest

Class consciousness occurs when subordinate groups do not accept ideology of the dominant group, but accept ideology relevant to their own interests

THE DOMINANT CLASS' IDEOLOGY USUALLY DOMINANTS

The ideology of the dominant group or class is often the most prominent ideology

People accept the ideology of the dominant groups in society & so accept their values & do not pursue their own self interest

Much of social analysis concerns
a. the nature of the dominant group's ideology
b. why people accept the dominant group's ideology
c. how the dominant group's ideology is disseminated

STRUGGLES OCCUR OVER IDEOLOGY & MATERIAL RESOURCES

For many social theorists, culture, ideology, etc. cause conflict

For many social theorists, cultural belief systems, ideology, ethnicity & religion, can cause a lot of conflict

Ideological struggle has gone by various names such as:
a. the culture wars
b. the struggle for the hearts & minds
c. religious wars

When analyzing these ideological struggles, one must also examine material / economic struggles

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Examples of ideological & material struggles

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Examples of ideological & material struggles
Israeli - Arab conflict: religion & land
Black - White conflict: some amorphous ideology of race/culture & equal opportunity rights
Catholics & Protestants in No Ireland: religion & land & equal opportunity rights

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Outline on the Ideology of Unions & the Labor Movement

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- Project: Gallup Survey of Attitudes Toward Representation

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- Project: Union Suport Survey

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Ideology may be seen as a person's world view; the summation of their values, likes, dislikes, interests, etc.

Most people have an ideal ideology & a real ideology

We may believe one thing about ourselves ( our ideal ideology ), but in reality, that is in practice, in our everyday life ( real ideology ), we act or think another way

It is the function of social scientists & labor leadership to understand the ideology & interests of union members & the working class in general

Given the difficulty of understanding & analyzing ideology, & the relative newness of the social sciences, ideology is only beginning to be understood

Knowledge, beliefs, values, norms (all which are the basis of occupational culture), attitudes & opinions on the job are affected by group cohesiveness

See Also: Conformity

Union members have a higher than average amount of group cohesiveness, which is both caused by & a cause of:
- similar values                                                         - same leader(s)
- agreement on methods to attain value goals            - common important experience
- similar age                                                             - common life experiences
- similar seniority                                                      - similar ed & religion

A high level of group cohesiveness indicates a similar ideology

Class consciousness is the ideology or world view which supports one's interests & causes one to act in favor of oneself & one's class

False consciousness is the ideology that supports another class or group's interests & not one's own class or group & causes one to act against oneself & one's class

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See the Survey on Your Labor Ideology to give you an idea of your own labor ideology

Why is class consciousness is not strong in the industrialized world?

There are FIVE major factors that impact the ideology of the people of the industrialized world

a. Culture of Individualism

b. Old social structures are breaking down, & new ones are replacing them

c. It is very difficult to see one's interest

d. The dominant ideology in the industrialized world is that of the upper class

e. Upper class ideology is supported by the media, people, etc.

The ideology of the people supporting the Labor Movement is generally more in support of the working class, & is more anti big businesses than the general population

On other issues, race, foreign policy, welfare, etc., Labor Movement member's ideology is similar to the general population, if not more conservative on some social issues

A decision to support a union is affected by a person's general ideology & the specific conditions in which one works

A person may be generally in support of the Labor Movement, but dislike a particular union, etc.

A person may dislike the Labor Movement, admire big business & yet join a union because of the expectation of a raise, etc.

Figure 1 -1 An Integrative Model of Factors Related to the Decision to Support Unionization

What are some examples of each box?

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Survey: Your Labor Ideology

Answer each question below on a one to five scale:

     1                2                    3                   4                    5
Strongly     Disagree          Neutral          Agree            Strongly
Disagree                                                                       Agree

_________ 1. Wealth & income is fairly distributed.
_________ 2. There is good opportunity for upward social mobility.
_________ 3. I trust unions more than business.
_________ 4. Workers have strong rights on the job.
_________ 5. Workers are often taken advantage of on the job.
_________ 6. Unions are corrupt.
_________ 7. Workers will take advantage of businesses if they can.
_________ 8. I think I can protect myself in the workplace.
_________ 9. There is little discrimination (race, gender, merit) in the workplace
_________ 10. Most workers are not paid enough, that is, a fair amount

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Outline on the Environment of the Labor Movement:
Factors Impacting Unions & the Labor Movement

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From a sociological perspective, the "environment" is made up of TWO aspects which have form & content, social structure & culture

a. Social structure is the form & shape of society which occurs on many levels from the personal level to the small group level to the organizational level to the societal level

In Labor relations, the primary concern is w/ TWO of the ten social structures including the:

i. economic system

ii. government or political system

b. Culture is the content of society which is the societal aggregation, the collective consciousness of knowledge, beliefs, values, & norms

Culture is manifested in the values, ideology, interests, etc. of people inside & outside of the Labor Movement

History is constructed of, & constructs this environment of social structure & culture

More specifically, Labor has to struggle with:

- employers who did not see them as legitimate

- the media who did not see them as legitimate

- a public who did not see them as legitimate

- courts that enjoined & punished collective activity

- Congress & the President who have no legislative support & first, then some mixed support

- competition from immigrant labor

Unions arise as a collective response to exploitation & alienation

The emergence of unions as a collective response to exploitation & alienation occurs w/ the development of class consciousness

See Also: Ideology, Class & False Consciousness

The first stage in the development of class consciousness at work it often a personal reaction to exploitation at work characterized by w/drawl, quitting, apathy, depression, etc.

The second stage in the development of class consciousness at work is that often the informal wk grp becomes a medium for airing complaints, but actions are few & largely personal

In the second stage, the wkr may come to rely on family, community, ethnic group, etc. for support in relation to problems at work

The third stage in the development of class consciousness at work is organized collective action which requires leadership from one or more workers

In order for wkplace organizing to take place, wkrs must overcome the paralyzing fear of mgt, recognizing that some fear will always be present

The reasons & development of collective responses to conditions at work are essentially the same throughout history whether the worker is a peasant in Egypt in 2000 BC or a programmer in Redmond, OR at Microsoft in 2000 AD

The dual economic development ( of agriculture & industry ) impacts unionization in US

Agrarian capitalism allowed small farmers to grow

Industrialization & urbanization & concentration of agriculture encouraged shift from small farmer to the industrial worker

Factory work was low pay & low status & employed mostly women & children

This established the mode of a high level of control in factory work

Early manufacturing work had been done by crafts & guilds

This system was destroyed by assembly line/division of labor

As males moved into the factory, family wage arose & status, authority, etc. increased marginally

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Outline on the Effects of Unions & the Labor Movement

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Unionization has created a movement of workers from the lower class to the middle class & the upper middle class

Union members have by & large moved from the lower class into the middle class as a result of unionization

Unions have taken many nonunion workers with them into the middle class

Within the framework of the labor movement, many unionists wanted their children & grandchildren to get a higher education and escape the factory

The Labor Movement:

- formulated & founded the American Dream

- created upward, structural social mobility

- discouraged radical political activity

- created economic systems that kept workers' satisfaction high

Has this aspiration been achieved?

A failure of this aspiration would

- encourage more political activity

- lower worker satisfaction

- increase multi generational unionism

As a classic dialectical outcome, the Labor Movement has had the effect of unionist children NOT becoming union members

The Labor Movement has created an entire socio political system of Labor Mgt. relations

The Labor Movement has stabilized the regulated monopoly capitalist economic system

The Labor Movement has created a divided workforce

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Outline on the Future of the Labor Movement & Unions

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- Project: The Future of Unions

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The future of the labor movement is fraught w/ many challenges related to changes in the economy, govt support, etc., but the assets of the Labor Movement, such as a committed leadership & membership, will find opportunities in new sectors of the economy & in unorganized workers

To the present, the Labor Movement has experienced:

- a violent birth

- a youthful period of growth

- a loss of numbers & support

- a decline since it's peak in the mid 1940s & 50s

- pessimism since the 1980s

- the negative effects of deindustrialization & globalization

- a political climate that has shifted away from Labor
- less enforcement of Labor laws & regulations
- less public support for Labor

- so much success that many workers are relatively satisfied w/ working conditions & outcomes

There are TEN Factors, related to Labor Movement growth, which will be important in the future, including

1. slower workforce growth

2. more gradual downsizing

3. tighter labor markets

4. more efficient organizing by unions

5. immigration

6. more globalization

7. economic development from industry to services & high tech, to biotech & internet/computers/robotics & ?

8. environmental effects

9. greater diversity in the workforce

10. aging, more educated workforce

Other?

While the Labor Movement can influence these social trends to an extent, as can the govt, mgt., & other social actors, there are some factors over which Labor has a high level of control

There are SEVEN Factors, related to Labor Movement growth, which will be important in the future which Labor can directly influence

1. A narrow set of collective bargaining issues

2. The voice of workers

3. Member solidarity in that orgs can increase solidarity

4. Leadership skills & responsiveness to members interests

5. Involved in technological development in the workplace

6. Public image / support of policies, strikes, etc.

7. Political power / public policy to address the TEN Factors related to Labor Movement Growth

There has been increased support for unions in the last two decades

More unskilled workers are joining unions

Enterprise unionism is the focus on local negotiations is more popular since it mitigates against plant closing more effectively than national bargaining

	The Union Agenda for the Future includes:
	1. the expansion of & protection of union organizing against consultants
	2. the expansion of strike power to the public sector
	3. reinstatement of the sympathy strike
	4. pass plant closing legislation
	5. promotion of full employment
	6. passage of right to know legislation
	7. the establishing of Universal health care
	8. passage of pension regulation legislation or rules
	9. flex-time regulation (1997 attempt failed)
	10. limited participation in mgt.: Inside the Circle
	11. profit sharing regulation
	12. organizing low wage workers
	13. implementation of corporate campaigns
	14. improvement of the union image w/ the public & their members
	Unions have been involved in graft, discrimination, conservatism, & authoritarian organizations
	Prosperity in the 1950s & 60s led many to believe that unions were no longer necessary
	The economic stagnation of the last decades of the 20th C reawakened concerns about job security & wages
	Awareness of the problems of job security & wages came at a time when union membership was declining because of layoffs & employer were showing increased aggression against unions
	Business blames Labor for the nation's economic problems
	Labor is giving attention to issues of general interest rather than issues that affect just one group of workers
	The AFL CIO initiated a multimedia project called "Union, YES!"
	The Boy Scouts have developed a Labor badge as a result of efforts by the AFL CIO
	The CA Fed of Teachers developed a set of lesson plans for teaching about the role of unions in resolving workplace conflicts
	Recent polls show that a strong majority approves of unions & that unions' approval ratings have been improving since bottoming out in the early 1980s (Freeman and Rogers, 1999)
	Unions are returning to the practice of taking an active role in community service programs such as the United Way
	15. promotion of safety & health in the workplace
	The concern for safety & health have gained attention because of the use of hazardous chemical in the workplace & increased public awareness of health issues
	Related to safety & health issues are right to know legislation which would require labeling of chemical used in the workplace
	Labor supports more stringent limits on industrial chemicals proven to be hazardous & increased information & education for workers on workplace hazards
	Labor has worked to limit the hazards of video display terminal in the workplace & associated joint problems from prolonged sitting & repetitive wrist movements
	16. increase union democracy
	See Also: Union Democracy
	A study of the International Typographical Union (ITU) revealed a strong & dynamic role of internal political parties in unions as long ago as the 1950s (Lipset, et al., 1956)
	The Teamsters, who was connected to organized crime, has developed an internal group called the Teamsters for a Democratic Union (TDU)
	The TDU has over 9,000 members in 35 chapters, publishes its own newspaper, runs an opposition slate of candidates at conventions, & holds 30 local elected offices (Friedman, 1982)

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