American Labor

The Labor Force é Who is in the Labor Force? é 16 years or older é working é looking for work é Who is not in the Labor Force? é military é institutionalized or disabled é those who don’t work

Labor Force – Facts and Figures 146 million persons (2003) About half of the population 13.2 % in unions Another 1.4% represented by unions

Labor Unions Past, Present, and Future

Highlights from History Craft Unions – skilled workers who perform same work Knights of Labor-1869 First national union of all types of workers Haymarket Riot of 1886 American Federation of Labor Association of craft unions Opposition Danbury Hatters Case The New Deal Congress of Industrial Organizations Split off of AFL AFL-CIO

Major Legislation Norris-LaGuardia Act – 1932 Prevented courts from rulings against unions engaged in peaceful activities Wagner Act National Labor Relations Act Established right of collective bargaining NLRB policed unfair labor practices Fair Labor Standards Act – 1938 First minimum wage, work-week law Prohibited oppressive child labor

Major Legislation Taft-Hartley Act – 1947 Outlawed closed shop Limited union activities in disputes 80 day cooling off period to delay a strike Allowed States to pass right-to-work laws Landrum-Griffin Act – 1959 Regulated the finances of unions Right-to-work Laws

Types of Union Arrangements Closed Shop Only union members will be hired Union Shop Worker must join union after being hired and remain a member Modified Union Shop Worker my voluntarily join union but must remain a member Agency Shop Don’t have to join but have to pay dues

Basic Aims of Unions Higher wages Shorter hours Union shop Check-off Union label Job security Fringe benefits Grievance machinery

Collective Bargaining Achieving recognition Negotiating the contract Local bargaining Pattern bargaining Industry bargaining

Peaceful Settlements Mediation Arbitration Fact-finding Injunction and Seizure Presidential Intervention

When Bargaining Fails Management tactics lockouts injunctions strikebreakers political activity public relations Union tactics strike picketing boycott slowdown political action

Catagories of Workers Unskilled Labor Semiskilled Labor Skilled Labor Professional Labor Noncompeting labor grades

Why do some jobs pay more than others? Market forces demand supply Traditional Theory of Wages Nonmarket forces

Labor unions Theory of Negotiated Wages – bargaining strengthen raises wages Education Signaling Theory – Employers will pay more for workers with signals of ability Regional factors labor mobility, cost of living, and attractiveness of location

Market Forces Demand for labor demand for goods and services productivity Supply Attractiveness of the job Skill required Required training Worker mobility

Employment Trends and Issues Growing but more slowly than in the past Getting older but retiring younger Becoming more varied by gender and race

Decline of Labor Unions General unpopularity of unions Growth of the service sector Automation Global competition Past success Givebacks and Two- tier wage systems

Lower Pay for Women Human Capital Differences Differences in Occupations Discrimination Remedies Legislation Comparable Worth Set-Aside Contracts

Increase in Part-Time Workers Increase in opening hours Greater flexibility in scheduling Lower costs due to reduced benefits Opposition Wages low, no benefits Denies full-time jobs Hours difficult

Minimum Wage Advantage Provide fairness and security to workers Disadvantage Creates unemployment especially among certain groups