Have organized labor unions outgrown their usefullness?

Question

In the industrial age, unions brought about many good changes for workers - safe working conditions, fair wages, equal employment opportunity etc.

In the Information Age, do we really need unions ? We have the Civil Rights Act., it is pretty easy to sue if you are harmed by an employer (or discriminated against).

Or have unions moved from the traditional role to a more political one? Are they doing a good job?

Answer 1

In the fifties when one in three Americans were in a union and CEO's made twenty times the average workers wages, things were good for everyone, including the company. Now that unions are out of favor and made to look the demon, we have our jobs being shipped overseas, cheap labor flooding the country, massive lay offs in the manufacturing sector and CEO's making four hundred times their average workers wages. I would say unions are definitely no good for the country and its workers.

Answer 2

Clair is right on! We need unions more than ever. But they are needed on a global basis not just in our country. Our country's labor force cannot compete with the slave wages of Latin America or China these days. If we had the Wobblies back all countries would have fair labor practices and this wouldn't be an issue. But because of globalization, our machinists, manufacturing laborers, and now tech workers are taking the biggest his because their jobs are being shipped over seas. They can't make a living on $2.00 a day that a worker in China gets or the $.75 a day someone from Haiti makes. Unions are needed more than ever. And, as the globalization increases, you will see more of a rise in their numbers around the world demanding their rights.

Answer 3

Yes. They mainly protect lazy people and take money out of hard worker's paychecks. Their membership is down to less than 12.5% of the working population. Look at the auto industry as an example. The struggling companies (F, GM) have problems making profits where the non-union ones (Toyota, etc) are doing great. Union workers' wages are way too inflated for the work that is being done (look at Delphi - $25/hr jobs for work that equates to $9/hr skills).

Answer 4

Absolutely not. Companies have not changed. They still put their bottom line and profits ahead of the well being of their workers. They still exploit their workers to the exact extent that they can get away with it......They will still pay as little as they can get away with, and the greediest corporations are outsourcing their plants to other countries just to take advantage of and exploit the cheap labor. And, unions will never outgrow their usefulness until, corporate greed ceases to exist. If I had been able to get a union job, I would have been far better off than I am, and now that the plant that I have been working in, for over ten years, is moving to South America, I would love to get some kind of union job. *sm*

Answer 5

Unions had outlived thier usefulness in the US as of the 70s, at the latest.

However, with the rise of international corporations in a global economy, unions may have to rise again, in some, well, 'global,' form. Frightening though the prospect may be.

Answer 6

yes, actually. in this day and age, no company would dare pay starvation wages for a skilled worker, he'd just find another job and the employer would be stuck with an unskilled worker doing skilled work

Answer 7

I am a conservative, but I don't think Unions will ever outgrow their usefulness. If the capitalist are allowed to get too much power we would be right back to where we were in the19th century.

Answer 8

If unions disappear, in 20 years we will be in dire need of them. With no organized representation, workers will be abused.

Answer 9

a million. they're patriots. 2. think of what you like, discover ways to think of for your self. look on the CIA. 3. No, good exertions Unions represent the worker & protects the worker from unfair administration practices. they're the backbone of u.s.. with out the union, there would be no base pay for administration's earnings, the top administration does no longer obtain the better pay to regulate. 4. This united states of america, u.s., must be saved by ability of the unions. the two interior and outdoors the region of work. i think of the concept of freedom is exciting & i'd extremely die battling than stay like a slave to the corporate elitist. Unions have continuously had to combat for the betterment of folk. it rather is "we the human beings" which this society seems to ignore approximately, some human beings stay in a bubble & have under no circumstances worked with the representation of a union. it rather is merely extortation while the worker pays the dues and gets inadequate representation. Unions frequently see to it that the business enterprise is an equivalent possibility business enterprise, equivalent pay for equivalent artwork. they have fought for well being care, they have fought for equalization on time beyond regulation. They shield the rights of workers, civil & humane. there is ability in numbers & continuously would be. Do you unquestionably think of the unionized truck drivers are going to allow the illegals to take their jobs??? they might close this united states of america down! We die as quickly as we become silent approximately issues that count! u.s. desires to unionize. however the bunch it is accessible [society customarily] is thoroughly clueless to the way this united states of america is being controlled, & a team of spineless, gutless wonders, that merely take a seat in front of their television's, take their medicine, [drugs] consume their processed foodstuff, settle for their mercury laced vaccines with a maximum cancers virus, drink their hormone weighted down milk, take their vaccines, spend & spend, faux they're wealthy, pass procuring, do what they're informed, like slaves, & suitable the place the globalist desire them: dumbed down. this is insane. Our enemies are family contributors. awaken!

Answer 10

I believe workers should always have the ability to organize and demand decent living wages and health care,

no matter WHERE THEY WORK.