Essay Plan
Topic: How important is the concept of work-life balance among the members of the labor force? What are the efforts contributed by the labor unions, business units and the government in achieving work-life balance?
Summary of Argument: Work-life balance is becoming one of the most important aspects for the members of the labor force now a days. This paper will argues that despite all the continuing efforts of labor unions, businesses and even the government to enhance work-life balance of every member of the labor force, efforts still not enough as there are always new issues arising or new pressures coming of the workers’ side.
Definition: Based on through research, work-life balance is the ability to manage both work and personal life in an equal and most effective way. To quote: “The expression “work-life balance” was first used in the late 1970s to describe the balance between an individual’s work and personal life.” (Canning, G. 2002)
List of Topics to be covered
- Labor Unions: definitions and scope (Canning, G. 2002; Hynönen P. 2000; Weidman, S. 2006; Pressler, M & Swoboda, F. 1997)
- Business units’ efforts contributed to maintain work-life balance (Welty, G. 1991; Grossman, R.2005; Laubacher, R. & Malone, T. 1997; Tyson, J. 1999; Mathey, A. 2002; Kaboolian, L. 1999; Jusko, J. 2003)
- Government’s way of enhancing work-life balance – (Jitendra, M. 2002; Joyce, A. 2004; Chaison, G. & Bigelow, B. 2002)
Conclusion
Indeed, there are a number of efforts from all sides: the unions, the business sector and the government. There may be some loopholes in some aspects or there may be some areas that still need to be address and taken into account to, but what is important is that we are all getting there. In time, we can all say that work-life balanced has really been achieved and maintained.
References
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Chaison, G. & Bigelow, B. 2002. Unions and Legitimacy., Cornell University Press.
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Hynönen P. 2000. Trade Unions in the 21st Century – the Effect of Globalisation on the Structures and Activities of the Trade Union Movement. ICFTU 17th World Congress.
Jitendra, M. 2002. The Use of Union Dues for Political Activity-Current Status.(labor unions’ legal history in America). Public Personnel Management.
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Jusko, J. 2003. Nature vs Nurture: Unique arrangements help manufacturers break from the traditional adversarial union-management relationships to improve both business performance and company morale. (Labor). Industry Week.
Kaboolian, L. 1999. Unions, Public Employers Team Up To Work Through Contentious Issues.(conference on labor-management cooperation). Nation’s Cities Weekly.
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Pressler, M & Swoboda, F. 1997. Giant Labor Pains; An Era Ended When a Revolution in the Grocery Business Drove a Wedge Between Management and Union. The Washington.
Pressman, S & Mosca, J. 1995. Unions in the 21st century. Public Personnel Management.
Tyson, J. 1999. In high-tech age, unions can score; Labor’s recent gains among professional workers raise likelihood unions will be players in 21st-century economy.(USA). The Christian Science Monitor.
Welty, G. 1991. Management speaks with single voice. Why not labor? (mergers of railroad companies sometimes leads to troubled labor union management) Railway Age.
Will, G. 2005. Labor Unions in the 21st Century. The Washington Post.
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Weidman, S. 2006. Organizational change in union settings: labor-management partnerships: the past and the future. Human Resource Planning.