Major Internal and External Political Challenges Faced by Unions - Coursework Example

Task MAJOR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL POLITICAL CHALLENGES FACED BY UNIONS Introduction Trade unions have by large being on the forefront in activism for their members. This is in terms of getting excellent remuneration, working in safe environments and more importantly ensuring that every worker is accorded dignity in their place of work (Pencavel, John, 63) All over the world, trade unions have gained popularity among their members and being a thorn in the flesh for employers and government that at many times have deemed their requests as unrealistic (Fink, Leon, and Brian,10) The resultant action by the trade unions where they have called their members on strike and taken any other action to be able to secure favorable working conditions for their members underlines the successes of trade unions. However the unions are still faced by many challenges, both internal and external that have affected their operation. The first challenge that has struck the movement worldwide is capital globalization. Today, governments have lost power to companies. This has been as a result of the increased advancements in technology, as a result, capital now has the ability to internationalize itself while avoiding the forces of trade union movements and the political forces at the nation state level. This ultimately means that capital has overcome political and social compromises and is out for authoritarian hegemony (Fink, Leon, and Brian,19)This has been clearly evident since national isolationism is today being largely felt and that trade unions that have already being weakened are today faced by economic crisis that has led to mass unemployment, inequalities between countries and also differences in the trade union culture (Vasco 2010) Hit by these harsh economic times, unions such as 1199 SIEU that boast the largest local membership of a single union face hard times in trying to negotiate good terms for their members. Another major challenge that faces the trade union movement is the effect of political leadership on its operations. The movement is faced by a lot of confusion on who best to heed to their demands when in power. For instance, it backed Bill Clinton only for his administration to back the NAFTA Trade Agreement that the labor unions had opposed that had been endorsed by corporate America while the reforms that had been promised in his bid to get elected collapsed in a democrat-filled congress (Fink, Leon, and Brian,8)This was a major throwback in to the movement considering that backing a specific candidate denies the right of members to vote. More so the continued influence of corporates in government decisions is a big blow to the unions and it continues to lose a lot of members especially in the private sector. Trade unions are challenging too much funds in political campaigns but there is little or nothing to show for it. Labor unions also have to face the challenge of democracy. There is need to democratize superational institutions so as to counter the weakening role of the nation state. For instance the attempts by the ETUC in Europe to democratize and coordinate economic policy is one of such. Their attempts include to see a shift in decision making power from the Council of European Union that represents member states of the European Union to the directly elected European parliament. This is in a bid to hopefully shift authoritarian practices to democratic ones. Trade unions like SIEU have at many times been hit by controversies. In a civil lawsuit filed by Sodexo against SIEU in 2011. The complaint claimed that SEIU used underhand methods like blackmail, trespassing, harassment and lobbying law violations during its “Clean up Sodexo”campaign Fink, Leon, and Brian(7) This was indeed confirmed to be true with detail emerging and evidence being presented in the courtroom that indeed SIEU had written to its members giving details of how pressure from without can destroy the existing relationship between employers and lenders, stockholders, patients, clients politicians and tenants. It hence recommended tactics should include accusations to racism, sexism and references to blackmail and extortion that would target the neighborhoods and homes of business leaders for demonstrations. This led to SIEU withdrawing its public campaigns against Sodexo while Sodexo also withdrew its case. Other controversies have also emerged where it is being claimed by members that they were intimidated and that the Union was widely involved in ballot rigging in 2009, in order to make workers vote in SIEU instead of National Union of Health Care Workers. In addition to this some of the local chapters of the Union have expressed discontent with the Citizen United Decision although they have continued to use funds in election spending in a bid to counter balance spending in elections (Vasco Pedrina 17) These kind of controversies are a throwback to the union that must have a good reputation in order to advance members grievances. In addition, the alleges of intimidations and use of other underhand methods in order to coarse members to make decisions beats the spirit of trade unionism. Also on the top of challenges that unions have experienced is the struggle for power among its leadership. Cases of breaking away these days are too common (Vasco Pedrina , 17)The main reasons why unions are breaking up from umbrella bodies is due to ideological differences or so as the leaders put it, but the fact is that too much money is involved and individual have selfish needs. In any case, differences among members or the leadership should be settled in the best way possible that would not involve splits in the unions. Employers and the corporate world would most likely take advantage of this since the strength of numbers that the unions previously held is no longer at play (Fink, Leon, and Brian, 19)Duplication of roles where trade unions are sometimes in conflict with each other over who should handle what matters is also a disadvantage to its members, sometimes issues may not be handled at all with each body pointing fingers over who should handle which matter. While trade unions in the developed world face challenges that are way too complex, in developing nations trade unions are weakened by the fact that the labour force that they represent is at times not enlightened. People do not know their rights and what they are protected from, in this case employers are able to exploit employees with ease while on the other hand trade union leaders are sometimes at the fore front of exploiting their members or misusing funds allocated to them by their members GentyKabiruIshora (2014) This in the overall kills the spirit and rationale for having a trade union if it cannot protect its members. As earlier indicated globalization has had hurting effects on the trade union movement. The combination of economic and political factors associated with globalization has had very wide felt effects on the trade unions worldwide. In May 1992, the effects of globalization started to hit Nigeria, when there was a lot of chaos and a total paralysis of the West African economic giant due to the effects of Structural Adjustment Program on workers that had been retrenched due to privatization. The privatization of the ports meant that not less than 300,000 would have to lose their jobs when the exercise was over (Kabiru 2014) this kind of activities lead to decline of unions since their membership is cut down. Even more, they now have to operate on very little budgets that may make them be in efficient in their responsibilities to their members. Furthermore, practices associated with globalization like the increased activities of multinationals in the mining activities where they have used illegal practices like use of under age children in extraction of minerals, providing poor work conditions for their workers and many other practices that are unethical and in many ways affect the representation of trade union (Vasco Pedrina 12). Trade unions have the sole responsibility of protecting their members. Deductions made from member’s salary should be used in making sure that they have the best working conditions possible. In addition to this, they should also be responsible in ensuring that the members have the rights to whatsoever decision they feel is appropriate for them, hence incidences of coercion by use of intimidation tactics are such a shame to unions (Laurie, Bruce,17)The problems associated with globalization that in many ways have killed the spirit of trade unions and in many ways led to drastic reduction of members because it is largely felt that people in the service sector do not really need representation should see trade unions evolve to fit the dynamics of the industry. Works Cited Fink, Leon, and Brian Greenberg, Upheaval in the Quiet Zone: 1199seiu and the Politics of Health Care Unionism. Urbana-Champaign: University of Illinois Press, 2009. GentyKabiruIshora (2014).Globalization and Trade Unions challenges: Nigerian Manufacturing Sector Experience. Laurie, Bruce, “Workers, Abolitionists, and the Historians: A Historiographical Perspective,” Labor: Studies in Working-Class History of the Americas, 5 (Winter 2008), 17–55. Pencavel, John, “How Successful Have Trade Unions Been? A Utility-Based Indicator of Union Well-Being,” Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 62 (Jan. 2009), 147–56. Vasco Pedrina. Eight Challenges of the International Trade Union Movement. Retrieved from http://www.socialeurope.eu/2013/12/international-trade-union-movement-challenges on 5/4/2015. Read More