Writing Assignment

Aman Agarwal

[Name of Instructor]

Labor Studies

28 March 2019

. Writing Assignment #1

1. What are some (more than one) of the possible reasons for the decline in U.S. union density?

The decline in the density of US unions has been seen as workers find unions as a burden on more than a solution to them. The unions come with higher costs, promising benefits and high wages and job security; however, in economic downturns unions cannot protect the interests of its members and stop layoffs, wage reductions, and redundancies. The most common cause of the decline in the labor union is the labor is the inefficiency of labor unions due to corruption and labor racketeering. Also, most Americans prefer government protection over labor unions in cases of discrimination, wages, and other work benefits.

2. Define "collective bargaining" and list at least three of the major collective bargaining subjects.

Collective bargaining refers to a negotiation between employer and union representatives to settle the set of terms and conditions of employment over by bargaining subjects. Significant subjects of bargaining are mandatory subjects which relate to wages, hour, pensions and healthcare, permissible covers subjects like drug testing and union labels and illegal subjects which cover subjects that violate National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) like prolonged working hours.

3. What obligations does an employer have if a majority of workers in their workplace want union representation?

Employers obligation towards union representation suggest that the employer is at liberty to allow or restrain having unions in the workplace. Hence it's entirely based on voluntary membership of the workers in the workplace to enter into Unions. Employers only recognize them, when there is a collective bargain proposed by them to achieve or resolve a conflict an issue between them.

4. Both the pluralist and critical industrial relations schools view unions as important. Describe how these schools have different visions of unions.

Pluralist believe that conflict is inherent between the employees and the employers and trade unions protect the interests of both parties, making employees loyalty to both the employer and the union. While the critical industrial school of thought has capitalist connotations suggesting that conflict is a result of employees protection against managements exploitations.

5. Why would the system proposed by the Knights of Labor to replace capitalism not be considered socialism? Was this also a goal of the AFL? (Explain AFL goals).

Although Knights of Labor was aimed at achieving unity of interest for all; opposing child labor, advocating 8-hour work shift and labor rights. Initially, a secret organization soon turned into a radical labor organization which would strike through labor stoppages to gain attention. Although anti-capitalist it was not a socialist union and meant entirely to safeguard labor interests over against unjust practices by the employers and not to own the means of resources or overthrow their authority. American Federation of Labour took over the goals of Knights of labor; however, it abstained from going into national political issues like Knights of Labor through negotiations. The goals of their AFL were to achieve collective bargaining against employers to achieve lower working hours and high wages, workspace safety for the employees.

6. Where and why did the Homestead Strike in 1892 take place? Be specific.

Homestead Strike in 1892 was violent labor that occurred at Carnegie Steel Company between the union and the management because the management wanted to reduce wages by dismantling the labor union.

7. What is one way in which the Wagner Act succeeded where earlier legislation failed?

One of the ways in which Wagner's Act succeed against the earlier legislation on Labor unions was that because it legalized the worker's affiliation with unions for their negotiating wage rates, hours and benefits of job security. Wagners Act made employers recognize the existence of Labor Unions.

8. Name one of the ways in which injunctions contributed toward breaking strikes.

Injunctions are a way to reduce conflicts between the management and workforce. They are legal in nature and are ordered by courts. Injunctions became instrumental in breaking the strikes in several ways one of which can be consuming Union’s economic and human resource by legal procedures.

9. Why can there be significant differences in public sector labor law across different jurisdictions?

In the United States the Federal government creates no obligation to enforce the state governments to incorporate features in public law. Public law labor law differs with different community and social standards in different jurisdictions, e.g. right to work.