A labor union, or union, is a group of workers who come together for the sole purpose of improving their work conditions and the environment through the process of collective bargaining. They negotiate with their organizations management on issues such as wages, benefits and work conditions. The first unions were formed in the United States in as early as 1860 with the building of the railroads. However, labor strikes occurred much earlier the first in 1636 when a group of Maine anglers protested their work conditions due to their employer, Robert Trelawney, withholding their wages. While this protest is typically not one frequently discussed, it did result in a work stoppage. Again, in 1768 in New York a dozen young tailors planned a protest
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“In 2014, 7.2 million employees in the public sector belonged to a union, compared with 7.4 million workers in the private sector. The union membership rate for public-sector workers (35.7 percent) was substantially higher than the rate for private-sector workers (6.6 percent)” (Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 2015, para. 4). In the public sector, unionization was highest in local government jobs that include teachers, police officers and firefighters (41.9%). In the private sector, unionization is among those working in Utilities (22.3%), Transportation and Warehousing (19.6), Telecommunications (14.8%) and Construction (13.9%) (Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 2015). When looking at unions for the police officers and firefighters it is important for them to be able to have an advocate. This ensures they are receiving the protections they need for themselves and their families in their salaries and benefits as well as protecting them when things go wrong. “Over the years, the FOP has exercised collective bargaining with the city about police officer contracts regarding salary, benefits, hours, retirement and other working conditions” (Karas & Anthony, 2013, para. 17). They must have a competitive benefits package to be able to hire the best and brightest to their police force, which is vital in this type of career …show more content…
Unions are focused mainly on the workers and not on the business itself. Often time’s unions negotiate higher wages for employees, which in turn require a company to recoup that increase through its products and services. Many guidelines that must be met when dealing with a union are not necessary without them. Employees that work for a union typically find them advantageous for these reasons as they feel they have an advocate on their behalf. It is typically extremely hard to release a union member from their position, and this is seen as a protection for the
“In 2014, 7.2 million employees in the public sector belonged to a union, compared with 7.4 million workers in the private sector. The union membership rate for public-sector workers (35.7 percent) was substantially higher than the rate for private-sector workers (6.6 percent)” (Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 2015, para. 4). In the public sector, unionization was highest in local government jobs that include teachers, police officers and firefighters (41.9%). In the private sector, unionization is among those working in Utilities (22.3%), Transportation and Warehousing (19.6), Telecommunications (14.8%) and Construction (13.9%) (Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 2015). When looking at unions for the police officers and firefighters it is important for them to be able to have an advocate. This ensures they are receiving the protections they need for themselves and their families in their salaries and benefits as well as protecting them when things go wrong. “Over the years, the FOP has exercised collective bargaining with the city about police officer contracts regarding salary, benefits, hours, retirement and other working conditions” (Karas & Anthony, 2013, para. 17). They must have a competitive benefits package to be able to hire the best and brightest to their police force, which is vital in this type of career …show more content…
Unions are focused mainly on the workers and not on the business itself. Often time’s unions negotiate higher wages for employees, which in turn require a company to recoup that increase through its products and services. Many guidelines that must be met when dealing with a union are not necessary without them. Employees that work for a union typically find them advantageous for these reasons as they feel they have an advocate on their behalf. It is typically extremely hard to release a union member from their position, and this is seen as a protection for the