8.2 Labor Unions

Organized Labor Labor Union Craft Union Industrial Union Collective bargaining Mediation Arbitration Lockout Strike

Labor Union A labor union is an organization of workers. The labor union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labor contracts with employers. This may include the negotiation of wages, work rules, complaint procedures, rules governing hiring, firing and promotion of workers, benefits, workplace safety and policies.

Labor Unions and Business

Craft Union Craft unionism refers to an approach to union organizing in the United States and elsewhere that seeks to unify workers in a particular industry along the lines of the particular craft or trade that they work in. Craft unionism is perhaps best exemplified by AFL

Industrial Union Industrial unionism is a labor union organizing method through which all workers in the same industry are organized into the same union—regardless of skill or trade—thus giving workers in one industry, or in all industries, more leverage in bargaining and in strike situations. The CIO Represents industrial workers. Craft and Industrial workers united to form the largest labor union in the US, the AFL-CIO.

Union Terms Collective bargaining refers to negotiations between employer and labor union to reach an agreement in labor. Mediation is when a 3rd party comes in and helps the other 2 parties make a decision they both like. Arbitration is when a 3rd party makes a legally binding decision for 2 disagreeing parties. A lockout is a work stoppage in which an employer prevents employees from working. This is differentiated from a strike, in which employees refuse to work.

What would be an example of a craft union? Discussion Question What would be an example of a craft union? What would be an example of an industrial union?

Political Action Social Security Act of 1935 National Labor Relations Act, 1935 Fair Labor Standards Act, 1938 Taft-Hartley Act, 1947 Anti-trust Laws

Social Security Act of 1935 Created Social Security in the US Social Security is a government retirement plan. You pay in while you’re young to receive benefits when you are older.

National Labor Relations Act, 1935 The National Labor Relations Board (or NLRB) is an independent agency of the United States government charged with conducting elections for labor union representation and with investigating and remedying Unfair labor practices. The NLRB was established in 1935 through passage of the National Labor Relations Act (better known as the Wagner Act).

Union members picketing the NLRB's recent rulings

Taft-Hartley Act, 1947 It is a US federal law that greatly restricts the activities and power of labor unions. The Taft-Hartley Act amended the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA, also known as the Wagner Act), which Congress had passed in 1935.

United States Antitrust Law United States antitrust law is the body of laws that prohibits anti-competitive behavior (monopoly) and unfair business practices. Monopolies are illegal and competition is encouraged and necessary for capitalism to be effective.