Introduction
The existence of relevant policies affects the performance of economies. Relevant bodies and authorities make these policies. The labor market has several policies that dictate the performance of the various sectors in terms of how they operate to benefit the involved parties.
According to Abowd and Freeman, there is a need for effective policies in any field for success to be achieved (22). The chief influence of policies in the labor market is the problem that is present, especially in the labor market where most policies in place are meant to streamline the labor sector.
The rights of employees are often influenced by the policies that are in place in any organization. Most contemporary organizations have their employees being members of unions, which ensure that a third party is accessible to advocate for the employee rights and freedom at the workplace.
This research paper focuses on the unionization of employees as a policy issue, using one of the labor unions to demonstrate this policy. The paper also presents the results of the research done to establish the operation and influence of this organization on employees and their organizations.
Aims and Objectives
This research paper focuses on a policy issue that is relevant to the labor markets. The aim is to evaluate the existence of unionization of employees as a factor in the motivation of the workforce at the workplace. The paper also has the objective of looking at the effects of unions on employee benefits.
It aims to show how these issues affect the pay for the respective individuals. The other objective is to evaluate the methods and the terms that are used by the labor unions to assure improved working conditions for their members. The study also aims to provide recommendations on how the policy issue may be tackled, including recommendations on the future unionization of members.
Policy Issue in the US
The unionization of employees is one of the major policy issues in the United States. Employees have the right to seek the services of the union in the US. Most of them are members of a union. The constitution is the main document that is meant to protect the rights of all citizens in the US. Such rights have to cover individuals who work in any organization.
Despite the protection of employee rights in the constitution, most employees have often had the challenges of discrimination, poor remuneration, and working conditions (Abowd and Freeman 23). In the early 20th century, a number of problems plagued the labor sector to the extent of necessitating the creation of unions where workers could engage in the process safeguard their rights at the workplace.
Several policies that are in place in the US address the issue of the formation and running of unions. However, they affect all these bodies. The presence of unions has meant improved working conditions and terms for employees. This outcome is associated with improved motivation and performance in the local workplaces. One of the organizations that are tasked with the protection of employee rights is The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).
According to Champlin and Knoedler, this organization is the central organization for all trade unions in the country (11). It hosts many trade unions in its ranks. The trade union in focus, Local 26, is also a key member of AFL-CIO. It has many workers working in different organizations.
Literature Review
Several factors influence the performance of employees in any particular organization. Such factors include positive and negative motivation from within and without the organization. According to Champlin and Knoedler, employees are motivated by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors, which affect their general performance and output (21).
The working conditions and remuneration at a workplace are some of the factors that have direct effects on the performance of employees. Unions have the ability to negotiate for improvement of terms for employees under them. This situation is associated with improved performance of the employees in question.
The most common benefit of unionization of employees is the improvement in remuneration that organizations provide for them. The average wage for employees in the US has continued to improve over the years. This improvement is attributed to the policies that are in place in the country.
Unionization of employees is one of the factors that resulted in improved wages for employees over the last century (Champlin and Knoedler 31). The proportion of employees that are in trade unions has also considerably increased over the years, with employers bowing to pressure for more of their organizations to allow their members to join a union.
The benefits are evident for the unionization of members. However, one of the facilitators of the presence of a large union is the policy on unionization of employees in the country. Important achievements of unions include the improvement of workers’ rights since people have been able to agitate for improvement of the same issue.
According to Champlin and Knoedler, organizations have had to change their policies to match those that are set by the labor unions (31). While this strategy has led to improvement in employee conditions, employers have had to adjust prices of commodities based on the salaries that these employees get.
Policy issues in the US have been restricted to special races. Delivery of services is also linked to the racial and ethnic background of individuals in the past. The introduction of labor laws has ensured that the observed racial discrimination in the workplaces is dealt with. The actions that the labor unions have taken such as strikes, slowdowns, and boycotts have had negative effects on the economy of the nation. The performance of important sectors of the economy can be paralyzed for a period for such reasons (Ashenfelter and Card 13).
Research Methods
The research paper adopted a simple methodology to achieve the aforementioned objectives. The main method that was used took the form of qualitative research where secondary sources were combined with primary ones. The main tool for collecting the relevant information was interviewing.
This process consisted of questions that had been formulated based on the objectives. The interview was prepared while focusing on the organization in question. A questionnaire was administered to the relevant individuals within the organization. Answers were analyzed to establish the policy issues that are relevant to the organization as a whole. The results were analyzed after the administration of the questionnaire, with conclusions and recommendations being made based on the results.
Findings
From the questionnaire and interviews that were carried out, the findings were analyzed to establish the policy issues with reference to the US labor market. The first objective in the interview was to establish the unionization process in the organization for new members. Several national regulations dictate the unionization of employees.
They affect the process of unionization. The national regulations are said to weaken the process of unionization, with the traditional method of unionization being abandoned. This observation means that new unions are rarely formed, as organizations join the already existing unions such as Local 26.
For the unionization of employees to take place fully, labor laws have to be followed. These laws have contributed to the slow unionization of employees in various states within the US. The findings of the research indicate that the benefits of unionization are present in the discussed organization. Workforce wages are the most significantly affected by the unionization of employees.
However, there have been significant changes since the establishment of the organization (Flinn 12). Local 26 has reported a change in the wages for members that are unionized as compared to those that are not unionized. This change is positive. The organization reports that unionized members generally receive an average wage that is higher than that of non-unionized workers. In fact, the average is higher by over $650.
The other aspect of the organization that the research was meant to investigate is how the organization markets itself together with how people get to know about it. The main motivator for employees to join the unions is their dissatisfaction with the workplaces where they operate. Most of the employees expect an increase in the wages that they are offered. The union presented itself as the main solution to the problems that the employees were experiencing at their places of work.
The union has been able to offer legal services to the workers in different organizations in terms of the interpretation of their contracts and/or entitlement to certain services. According to Champlin and Knoedler, employees are bound to their employers (15). An employment contract exists between these two groups.
The other relevant information from the interview is the relevance of labor unions to the different races. The interview found out that different races seek services from the organization, with the most common races being the Spanish-speaking populations in the country. The main reason for the different races that are served by these organizations is that the immigrant population in the country is high.
Most of the immigrants work in the informal sectors. A large proportion is employed in the many industries in the country. Workers have experienced discrimination in the past, with the remuneration being inadequate in most cases. The unionization of these races ensures that these problems are tackled.
Local 26 is a member of AFL-CIO, which is a conglomerate of trade unions within the US. The existence of Local 26 within this organization means that the union is in a position to negotiate for the terms of its members on a higher level as a way of eliciting high confidence for members.
The commonest issues that organizations such as Local 26 deal with include the improvement of employee working conditions. The represented organizations are mainly in the hotel industry. However, this plan is riddled with many issues in terms of the working conditions. The wages for the employees constitute some of the important factors for consideration. This labor union faces such cases every day (Ashenfelter and Card 13).
The other common condition that the labor unions encounter is the issue of access to health insurance. The union is in the forefront to ensure that it affects the best health benefits for its members in their respective organizations. The management of organizations is also a key area of concern. In general, employees often need representation by the union on issues to do with wages and working conditions. These issues are central to the operation of any organization that deals with employees from different organizations.
The main problem that labor organizations face is the weak labor laws that have been weakened by administrations in organizations. The weak laws have made it possible for employers to continue mistreating employees while at the same time denying them their rights in the form of competitive remuneration.
Some of the cases that have occurred in the past include the unfair dismissal of union leaders from their stations because of agitating for improvement in the working conditions or wages for their colleagues (Champlin and Knoedler 31). The legal process that is followed to achieve justice for such employees is also said to be long. The duration is in the range of years.
The other challenge is the type and size of penalties that the offenders of the labor laws get for such offences. According to Champlin and Knoedler, penalties for most of the acts that are committed by the employers are little and insufficient to discourage future offenders (13). The weak labor laws also hurt unions.
Local 26 is one of the unions that report a decrease in performance based on the laws. Champlin and Knoedler also state that the political class has a hand in the performance of unions since most of them have links to organizations that have poor human resource policies (14). The result of these combined factors is poor performance of the labor sector that is witnessed through underrepresentation of employees.
The contribution of employees in the labor market is a significant point in the assessment of the unions. Employees are the main drivers of any industry. The labor that is provided in any industry has to be consistent with production and output. If these employees are not safeguarded, the productivity of any organization is bound to decrease (Champlin and Knoedler 31). The organization under discussion is one of the leaders in the establishment of better working conditions for their members.
This plan ensures that they are able to work towards the productivity of the industries and sectors within which they are situated. Funding for such labor organization is important. The bulk of funding comes from the membership fee that is paid by members. Some of the ways that are used to achieve the objectives of improvement in working conditions and remuneration include strikes and rallies. These methods have proved useful in the past, with organizations bowing to pressure.
Reflection
Employees are an important part of any organization. Their rights should be safeguarded in the strongest possible manner. Local 26 is one of the organizations that are charged with the protection of employee rights. Just like any other labor organization, some challenges are associated with it.
The labor market in the US is dominated by many organizations, which links to the political and legal systems (Champlin and Knoedler 19). Membership in this organization ensures that the employees are allowed to benefit from the best available services at the workplace. Membership also allows the motivation of employees, and hence improvement in their output.
Labor laws in the US are restrictive. There is a need for review of some of these laws. Several employees are protected by the constitution. However, there is a need for a body that is charged with the assurance of employee protection. Labor unions such as Local 26 serve to ensure the continued protection of employees at their places of work.
Authorities also have a role to play in the strengthening of labor unions to ensure that citizens are able to work in a facilitating environment. The performance of the economy is also dependent on the labor laws that are present in any country. There has to be political goodwill for these laws to succeed.
The above organization is an example of the different challenges that the labor organizations in the US are facing. Its situation is adequate to show how organizations are coping with such challenges. The average working employee depends on external help for the services offered by the organization. It is clear to see that non-unionized workers end up having poorer working conditions as opposed to unionized ones.
The main challenge for these organizations is the labor laws, which should be changed to ensure continued protection of the employees in the various sectors. The availability of authorities that are uncooperative with the labor laws and that have special interests in the various organizations means that the intended effects of labor organizations may not be achieved.
Recommendations
A number of factors may influence the output of employees. Labor laws should govern the unionization of members of any organization. Any organization that prevents its members from forming unions should be investigated. Legal measures should be taken against it according to the constitution and the present labor laws.
The United States government should introduce a law that aims to ensure that all employees are unionized. This move will lead to protection of the employees, their motivation, and improved performance of organizations.
The next recommendation is that the authorities should prosecute employers who are not able to offer good working conditions. Labor organizations should be mandated with the investigation of employee treatment in organizations.
Funding of labor organizations should be provided by the state. Some of these organizations need to have a fixed fund from the budget to ensure that they are supported. In most of the areas that employees have had issues with their employers, authorities and politicians are described as having stakes. There should be a declaration of conflict of interest before members of unions vie for any post.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the presence of labor laws is important in any country and region since it puts a check on the existent organizations. This research paper has focused on one of the labor organizations operating in the US.
It has showed some of the achievements and challenges it has faced. Labor laws are described as some of the relevant factors in the operation of the organization. Some of the challenges include weak laws, slow legal processes, and lenient judgments for offenders. Labor laws should be altered to ensure that employees are effectively protected.
Works Cited
Abowd, John, and Richard B. Freeman. Immigration, trade, and the labor market. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1991. Print.
Ashenfelter, Orley, and David E. Card. Handbook of labor economics. Amsterdam: North-Holland, 1986. Print.
Champlin, Dell, and Janet T. Knoedler. The institutionalist tradition in labor economics. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2004. Print.
Flinn, Christopher. The minimum wage and labor market outcomes. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 2010. Print.