Labor Union - Research Paper Example

? Labor Union Labor Union A trade union is sometimes referred labor union. The labor union is an organization that is formed by workers who have bonded as a unit towards achieving common goal or goals that may engulf improving the working condition. Notably, it is through the leadership of the trade union that the workers or the members’ grievances are addressed to the employer. All the demands of union members are presented and negotiated by the union leaders through collective bargaining. The common issues addressed by the union and its membership include wages negotiation, complaint procedure, work rules, rules governing hiring, promotion, and firing of workers, benefits, workplace policies and safety. Usually the agreements reached by the union leadership are ever binding on the file and rank members as well as to the employer. In some cases, the negotiations incorporate the plight of non-member workers. Labor unions originated from Europe and became popular in several countries, particularly during the industrial revolution. During this period, there was no skilled labor and most jobs shifted employment to bargain power entirely to the side of employers (Munck, 2004). This shift led to mistreat of many workers while other were being underpaid. Labor union organizations may comprise of individual professionals, workers, past workers, and the unemployed. (Benson, 2008) Nonetheless, their most common means or the main purpose of these organizations is to “improve or maintain the working conditions of its members or the employment” (International Labour Office, 2008). For the past three hundred years or so, labor unions have developed numerous ways advocating for their members. These activities vary and they include benefit provision to members: ancient labor unions such as the Friendly Societies, used to provide varied benefits aimed at insuring members against illness, old age, unemployment, and funeral expenses (Wagner, 2007). However, due to the current developments among states, these activities have been assumed by the government. For instance, in developed countries, the state has assumed the same functions. However, members’ professional training provision, representation and legal representation are still a vital benefit of the labor union membership. Secondly, the trade union through (Benson, 2008) it leadership plays the role of collective bargaining. In this case, the labor union is capable of operating openly; thus, are recognized by employers. In collective bargaining, the union often negotiates with employers over the plight of employees, especially on then issues regarding wages and working conditions. Thirdly, unions are often interested in the industrial action: the union may opt to enforce strikes or boycott or resistance to lockouts with the main intension of furthering some specific goals (Roth, 2010). Fourth in the list is the involvement on the labor union in political activities. The labor union may sometimes opt to promote certain legislations that would intern be in the interest of workers or its members. (Wagner, 2007) In order to achieve such, the union may pursue campaigns, support individual candidate financially, undertake lobbying, or support a party for a political office; particularly if such a party supports the interest of workers. For instance, the labor unions in Britain often support the Labour Party since the party serves the interest of workers or the union members. It is worth noting that union laws vary per country. This is also true with their functions. Additionally, the relationship between the unions and political parties varies. In most countries, the union share leadership with some political parties or they are tightly bonded with such political parties that are perceived as serving the interest of workers. Typically such scenarios may be regarded as left wing, social democratic party, or socialist; however some exceptions exist (Fink, 1977). Notably, the employment laws structures normally affect the roles of the unions as well as how they carry out their business (Benson, 2008). For instance, in most of the western countries, benefits and wages are greatly set by the governmental actions. On the other hand, the united states often apply the laissez-faire approach and set some minimum standard, but leaves most of the workers’ wages and benefits to market forces and collective bargaining. From historical records, the Republic of Korea has ever managed to regulate the collective bargaining by seeking the participation of the employers. However, according the Republic of Korea regards the effectiveness of collective bargaining if such sessions are held before the Lunar New Year (International Labour Office, 2008). Despite all the benefits that the labor union has to workers or its members, unions have been accused of reaping benefits from workers, especially from those workers with secure jobs, consumers, and the unionized business stakeholders. (Roth, 2010) For instance, the United States labor unions have been accused of outsourcing labor from other continents including Latin America, Asia, and Africa. This outsourcing has been accused on the increased cost of partnership among unions that give other countries or states a comparative labor advantage by making it effective for such laborers to perform intensive labor work in such countries (Fink, 1977). An advocate of laissez-faire capitalism and Nobel economist, Milton Friedman, sought to clarify that unionization lead to high wages, especially within the union membership at the expense of the available few jobs. Applying, the same notion, it; therefore, means that some industries are to be unionized while not others. Additionally, the labor unions are viewed as having ineffective policies on sexism and racism, in that the union is justified to an extent that it can never support a member taking legal or labor actions against another member (Munck, 2004). An example of such an action was demonstrated in 1987 judgment in the United Kingdom case between Weaver v NATFHE, in which a Black Muslim woman was complaining of being harassed at the workplace because of her race. The woman filled a case against a co-trade unionist. In this case, the court ruled that the union would have not assisted the plaintiff, since in a process of doing so; the union would be violating its duties of protecting the tenure of the accused member. Other the shortcomings of the labor union, the labor unions are currently facing leading global challenges (Benson, 2008). Most of the challenges posed to the labor unions often hinder their smooth operations. Some time they have been accused of holding everybody ransom by their strikes that leads to the disruption of the entire public services. Per se, such notions in most cases (Munck, 2004) gratefully interfere with the intended purpose of the strike. If such happenings are experienced, the union may be regarded, especially by its members as ineffective and can never undertake its mandated functions. In relations to the understandings of Milton Friedman, unionization often leads to higher wages that can only lead to the creation of few jobs. He however notes that, if only some industries are unionized whiles other are not, the wages will reduce (International Labour Office, 2008). Increasing the labor price or the wage rates, particularly above the equilibrium price will automatically lead to increase in unemployment (Fink, 1977). This is viewed as a challenge in that the raised minimum wages will create a non worthwhile state for businesses to employ workers who have worth are much less than the minimum wage rates. In such cases, the government may intend to reduce the powers of the union in order to increase employment of its citizens (Benson, 2008). As had been noted, the labor unions usually benefit inside workers, workers of high productivity and secure job, at the expense outside workers, those who consume the end products that are the consumers of produced goods and services, and the unionized business stakeholders. Therefore, those who are at intense risk of losing from the actions of the trade union are the unemployed as well as those who are not certain of getting secure within fields of their interests (Munck, 2004). The ever rising criticism and challenges facing labor unions have led to reduced membership levels within these unions. Notably, the unions have fallen below the currently expected membership. The challenges facing trade unions almost apply to all countries globally (Wagner, 2007). The trend is argued to be due to post-Fordism and globalization that have led to destruction of labor unions worldwide. The latest version of post-Fordism is blamed of transforming (Benson, 2008) the trade unions into outdated institutions. This is based on the development of technologies and changes within organizations that have profoundly affected industries (International Labour Office, 2008). These changes have affected international competitions, labor market changes, the introduction of the new system of personnel management, private property replacing public property, increasing number of companies (especially the service sector), and the purported increase numbers of individualistic, new ideologies. Furthermore, the numbers of the employed workers on part-time or fixed-term contracts are on the rise while employees no longer stick to one workplace (Fink, 1977). These factors are viewed as reducing the trend to the membership that has adversely affected the labor unions. The common trends of the former state socialist countries may also be a factor to relate to certain specific “identity crisis” that is affecting trade unions especially in the former authoritarian socialist nations particular of the countries in Central and Eastern Europe (Fink, 1977). The unions in these states have actively participated in the creation of new political system within these countries and this is viewed as creating conflict in loyalties (Roth, 2010). However, labor unions have opted to retain their roles of defending working class; on the other hand, the labor unions have relentlessly become the co-authors of capitalism and democracy and market based relations. Such situations have been regarded has considerably impairing the identity of workers within the trade union (Benson, 2008). The trade union should; therefore, works on the modalities reducing their current challenges and shortcomings, otherwise, they will no longer exist. The most appropriate thing that these unions should do is to detach themselves from politics. That is, they should act as pressure behind lobbing to the challenges faced by its members and other workers, instead of being interested in political activities. In this manner, the labor unions will regain its effective purpose and increased memberships. If such initiatives are implemented, the increasing levels of individual labor unions’ memberships will be reverted to recruiting members to the national or international labor unions. These will facilitate the rejuvenation of the dying trade unions. References Benson J. (2008). Trade unions in Asia. NY: Routledge. Fink G. M. (1977). Labor unions. New York: Greenwood Press. International Labour Office. (2008). Record of proceedings. New York: International Labour Organization. Munck, R. (2004). Labour and globalisation: results and prospects. London: Liverpool University Press,. Roth I. S. (2010). Labor Unions: Have Labor Unions Outlived Their Usefulness in the Modern Business Working Environment? United States: GRIN Verlag. Wagner V. (2007). Labor Unions. United States: Greenhaven Press. Read More