Image via WikipediaThis overview of the history and growth of labor unions was prepared by Amanda Dickson while a Business Management major in the College of Business at Southeastern Louisiana University.
Introduction
A labor union is “an organization of wage earners formed for the purpose of serving members’ interests with respect to wages and working conditions.” They have come a long way since the 18th and 19th century and continue to evolve through strict policies and new legislation.
The Idea in a Nutshell
The evolution of labor unions in America began as far back as the 1700s attributable to the dangerous and harsh conditions workers were facing. To add insult to injury, they were earning low wages and working long, grueling hours. Workers began to realize if they came together, it was easier for them to persuade their employers to answer their demands.
The Top Ten Things You Need to Know About Labor Unions
1. One of the first types of labor unions were called craft unions. These were skilled workers who specialized in a certain trade. For example, the Philadelphia shoemakers in 1792, the Boston Carpenters in 1793, and New York printers in 1794.
2. In 1827 industrial unions began to form. These were members of the same industry such as the steel industry, regardless of their individual jobs.
3. In 1886 the American Federation of Labor was formed. Samuel Gompers was the first president of the AFL. His objectives were clear and precise. Better wages, hours, and conditions were of top priority.
4. The AFL continued to grow larger in membership until the 1920s when there just were not many skilled workers left to become organized. Over three-fourths of workers in the United States that were organized, we members of the AFL.
5. The Industrial Workers of the World was formed in 1905. This organization, though its life span was brief, was the first to initiate a sit down strike and mass picketing.
6. In 1936, a group of industries not agreeing with the AFL’s structure decided to split and form the Congress of Industrial Organizations. This centered on complete industries, not individual trades, which was a good way to deal with industries involving mass production. The CIO, in a short amount of time, became as large as the AFL.
7. In the eleven years between 1933 and 1944 the modern labor movement was born. Many factors such as New Deal labor legislation, AFL and CIO competition, and World War II cause union membership to quadruple.
8. The AFL and CIO came to an agreement in 1955 and united to form one massive organization. With the exception of the National Education Association, all the major unions in the United States are affiliated with the AFL-CIO.
9. Since the 1980s labor union membership has fallen. Many factors such as the labor legislation, better employee-management relationships, and the shift from a manufacturing to a service economy.
10. One of the acts passed in the 1980s was the Plant-Closing Notification Act of 1988. This made it mandatory for employers to give employees a warning of plant closings or mass layoffs no less than sixty days in advance.
The Video Lounge
This video discusses the origin of labor unions.
My Take
I believe labor unions have made a huge impact on this country. Without them employers would have continued to determine the wages and conditions of employees, which for most was low wages and poor conditions. In today’s society I do not feel they play such a major role. I feel that they have paved the way for industries and companies to treat their employees better. Also there has legislation that regulates wages and hours so that labor unions are not needed as much. Granted there are labor unions today and they do serve their purpose.
References
Luft, Paula “Business Encyclopedia: Labor Unions” retrieved from www.answers.com/topic/labor-union
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Contact Information
To contact the author of “Top Ten Management on Labor Unions” please email Amanda Dickson and Amanda.Cook-2@selu.edu.
BIOGRAPHY
David C. Wyld (dwyld.kwu@gmail.com) is the Robert Maurin Professor of Management at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana. He is a management consultant, researcher/writer, and executive educator. His blog, Wyld About Business, can be viewed at http://wyld-business.blogspot.com/. He also maintains compilations of his student’s publications regarding management concepts (http://toptenmanagement.blogspot.com/), book reviews (http://wyld-about-books.blogspot.com/), international foods (http://wyld-about-food.blogspot.com/).
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Read more:
Top Ten Management on Labor Unions: an Overview of Their History and Growth
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