“Right to Work” Impact on Unions Essay

What are the provisions of “right to work” states?

The provisions of the right-to-work stipulate the right to belong to a union house as personal. An individual who lives in a right-to-work state will not be forced to join any labor house or pay dues as a member. If you decide not to join a labor house, there are no fines or penalties for your decision. An employee will not be forced to pay dues to any charity home or collect recommendation letters from the labor house before seeking employment.

The impact of the right-to-work would be felt by society. The union house acts as a mediator for the workers on Issues such as wage increases, health insurance, layoff, safety practices, and hours of work. The labor house addresses the marginalization of the members by the management. Statistics reveal that union members earn higher than nonunion workers due to their collective bargaining. Union workers are assisted in different ways when they encounter challenges. These benefits would be lost when states accept the right-to-work act.

The right-to-work will hinder the growth of the state and impoverish the employees. Workers are the target in the new law; the right-to-work is ill-timed and would not benefit workers. The new law will hinder the membership in the entire workforce and this will increase the oppression of the poor. Owners of industries will not have a huge task in making negotiations with her staffs because they would be able to arm-twist an employee to their terms.

What aspect of labor history impacted you the most and why?

The struggle to create better working conditions for her union members remains the principal objective of many labor unions. The history of labor houses has been characterized by violent protests and deaths. Although the objective of the labor house is to improve the living standards of its members, their agenda has been stopped whenever there is an uprising. Labour unions of the 18^th century came with a common goal. The era was marked with a collective action among the members. The long hours of work and wage cuts became a common trend. The union house opposed every move that created pain for its members.

By the 19^th-century labor unions were well organized, having developed on the lapses of the 18^th century. Being well organized created problems, most leaders of the labor unions acted in self-interest and it was a challenge to the labor house. Major disagreements between the workers and management were not settled because of the division in the house. Members who agree to a peaceful protest would later disagree after being paid a token by the management. The mistrust between members affected the objectives of their pursuit.

The case study revealed the cohesive force that existed among union members in the 19^th century. Although their organization was crude, they went ahead to demand favorable working conditions for employees. The association of women workers of the 18^th century was a success. The leaders of the association were determined to reduce the harsh conditions in the sewing industries. They equally gave their support to many labor houses and achieved historic labor struggles against their oppressors. The bargaining power of labor unions has dropped because of the selfish interest of their leaders.

What connections, lessons, issues, trends did you find reflected in the readings related to labor unions from the 1980s through the present?

The case study reveals the success stories of the labor unions and their achievements. I discovered that the cohesive force binding the union has been destroyed due to self-interest. Unlike the 18^th century when labor houses had a strong voice and were not used as a political tool. The leadership was characterized by their strong will and perseverance even in the face of death. Most labor unions of the 20^th century are politically motivated, changing their objectives when the highest bidder pays them.

They no longer drive the spirit of togetherness they instead try to actualize their selfish desires. The violent nature of their struggle has not changed and they did not utilize their experiences to tackle present conflicts. Whenever they embark on a struggle, their mission has always been an aggressive approach. This leads to the loss of human lives and properties, the government would use subtle means to marginalize the employees.

The trend would not improve until labor unions become tactical in their pursuit of a better welfare package. As in the 18^th century when women came together to fight a common goal: create a balance between women suffering and healthy living. Their common determination influenced the needed change. Today, our labor houses are filled with men and women without the interest of the members. The labor house of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries contributed to the development of its member. Today, the leaders attend meetings with management only to enrich their pockets; they push the masses to violent struggles just to achieve their selfish interest.

The oil of lubrication for any labor house is their common goal. Their bargaining power would grow when they have a common agenda and this will help them resolve labor disputes.