The Positives and Negatives of Labor Unions and Non-unions

During past years, labor unions were used by manufacturer workers as a way to make the workers' voices heard and to push for different conditions regarding unfair treatment. To most, these unions were seen as a type of threat but to others it was a way to gather the workforce together and make it beneficial to not one or a few, but all. Labor unions have become out of the picture in the US today. Yet union jobs are starting to resurface.

To start with, unions were created initially for the greater good and as a form of protection. More importantly, they create a competition between the workers’ standard of living and the competitive strength of the employer. therefore, they increase the amount of jobs available in the economy. When unions first came into existence in the 19th century, it was the start of the industrial revolt where workers moved away from farm work areas into factories and mines. In the process of this transition of life, many faced horrible working conditions: strenuous hours, little to no pay, and health risks. Women and kids who worked, generally received lower salaries than men did, but even the men weren’t earning enough for the amount of time they worked. The government did little to prevent and resolve these injustices so therefore, labor activists raised; lobbying for better options and working conditions; collective gains.

This gave the workers authority to demand for things which they felt they needed provided for them, but as time went on, this power was abused in the sense that workers leave their jobs undone and seek more than that which they are being given. This is to their disadvantage because many need the jobs they have and without them, they most likely wouldn’t be able to survive. “”Power tends to corrupt,” and that has definitely been true for the unions. Unions have become self centered, very greedy, and even thuggish in their never-ending quest to take in as much as they can for themselves and their families.” (John Hawkins. 5 Reasons Unions are bad for America) By protesting they create a sense of defiance which in turn may cause employers to enforce actions such as firing workers.This doesn’t harm the employer but the worker. Unions create a competition between the workers’ means of living and the competitive strength of the employer. “We are now competing in a global market, and the standards all unions attempt to uphold which makes it difficult to compete globally. So we’re forced to choose between the worker's quality of living, and the competitive strength of his employer. Are the striking employees providing service to a public company? How will the owners be affected? Will a strike bring havoc, or simply more reruns and reality shows? The stakes are different.” (Ron Wilkinson.

United We Stand? Are Unions Still Existing Today?) What is basically being brought up and explained here is the idea and fact that employers and companies have set goals which they have to produce. Many industries pursue uprising integration in the form of mergers which involves buying out another company. A company that buys out all its competing stores can achieve a monopoly; control over its companies production, wages and prices. If employers decide to look at the benefits which the employees aren’t getting, then the money that the companies need to grow goes to the workers meaning less gain.This also affects the consumers because the money that the employees receive goes back on the prices that consumers have to pay. They purchase higher prices when the added union-wage bill is passed on by companies. (James Shark. Do Americans Today still Need worker Unions?) Unions increase the amount of jobs available in the economy. Many unions have succeeded in winning higher pay and better conditions for their members but in doing so, they reduce the amount of available jobs in unionized companies; this occurs because of the basic law of demand and supply.

To workers Members of the union tend to have higher wages than nonunion workers. Trade unions also sometimes act as protectors of workers in case of legal matters. The rights of the workers are better protected. For example, they cannot be randomly removed from work. Since the individual rights of employees are better protected and well represented, they usually are more motivated. This results in higher levels of efficiency and increased productivity.