Labor Unions
...get good working conditions, fair pay, and fair hours for their
labor. For example, in a newspaper, all the people who work the presses might
all belong to one union. All of the artists, who are responsible for the
artistic layout, might belong to another. These unions are usually joined
together, and most unions in America are some branch of the largest labor union
organization in the United States, the AFL-CIO. The unions of the workers at a
certain business or factory might get together with the management for a period
of time to talk about a contract. This time is known as negotiation. The union
will tell the management what it wants its workers getting paid, and then the
management will tell the union what it can pay the workers and still be earning
a reasonable profit. They bargain and it usually works out. Most businesses
and corporations have eight-hour work days, with optional extra hours. This is
not usually a topic in negotiations, but could be. Working conditions could be
discussed. If workers in the factory have no heat, no lunch breaks or they are
not allowed to speak, (which was the case in many sweatshops for immigrants and
children in the 1920's through 1940's), then the labor unions will obviously
want something done.
These differences are usually settled fairly quickly, and a new contract
featuring these agreements will be realized . Most contracts are in operation
for about 3 to 5 years. Then, negotiations begin again. This is how labor-
management relations go in a perfect world.
But, obviously, this is not always the case. Sometimes the unions want
unrealistic wages. They might stress extreme luxuries that the company cannot
provide for working conditions. Or the management may be stubborn and unwilling
to give up a large percentage of the profit in a good year. Or maybe both sides
are seemingly in the right and an agreement...
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