IKEA, a well-known furniture company, opened a U.S. factory in Danville, Virginia. Residents of the town were thrilled to hear this at first because it was thought to be bringing good, well-paying jobs. A few years after the plant opened the employees for IKEA were pissed off and wanted to form a union. The workers complained about the “eliminated raises (Los Angeles Times) and also “mandatory overtime. Several said it's common to find out on Friday evening that they'll have to pull a weekend shift, with disciplinary action for those who can't or don't show up” (Los Angeles Times). This led to a lot of employees upset with Ikea because of all these poor working conditions. Some employees quit for a lesser paid job like Kylette, Duncan did and
…show more content…
The need for police unions were needed in the 1960s due to the demands of the law enforcement profession. In the 60’s “police officers felt their salaries, fringe benefits, and working conditions were not adequate” (Swanson 475). This was due to the fact other careers with easier jobs were making far more money. Police thought they were being taken advantage of with the low pay and little to no benefits. Things for police needed to change or else no one would want to do the job. This is just like what is happening in Danville, little pay and horrible working conditions and people are demanding change. The International Union of Police Association (I.U.P.A) “was the first union that gave the law enforcement community an independent voice within the organized labor movement” (www.iupa.org). This gave police better entry level salaries, more benefits, better retirement, longevity pay and time and a half after forty …show more content…
Let’s get the cons out of the way first, the first con is that it cost the U.S. government more money to run each department. Another Con is that police unions “reinforce the norms of police subculture”(Swanson 476). Some of the norms of the police subculture is the “code of silence” which means another officer will not turn another officer in for a wrong doing. The last con is that some unions “endorse political candidates ”(Swanson 477). This is bad because it influences peoples opinion on how to vote one way and not the other. Pros on police unions are that the wages of police officers went up and the benefits as well. There is mandatory time and a half pay for overtime. The police work all hours and many details and easily can work a 50-hour week, it is only fair for them to receive overtime. Also, whatever officer is stuck working third shift will be compensated for his odd hours of work. Overall I believe police unions are a success to the police community and they are still being used
The need for police unions were needed in the 1960s due to the demands of the law enforcement profession. In the 60’s “police officers felt their salaries, fringe benefits, and working conditions were not adequate” (Swanson 475). This was due to the fact other careers with easier jobs were making far more money. Police thought they were being taken advantage of with the low pay and little to no benefits. Things for police needed to change or else no one would want to do the job. This is just like what is happening in Danville, little pay and horrible working conditions and people are demanding change. The International Union of Police Association (I.U.P.A) “was the first union that gave the law enforcement community an independent voice within the organized labor movement” (www.iupa.org). This gave police better entry level salaries, more benefits, better retirement, longevity pay and time and a half after forty …show more content…
Let’s get the cons out of the way first, the first con is that it cost the U.S. government more money to run each department. Another Con is that police unions “reinforce the norms of police subculture”(Swanson 476). Some of the norms of the police subculture is the “code of silence” which means another officer will not turn another officer in for a wrong doing. The last con is that some unions “endorse political candidates ”(Swanson 477). This is bad because it influences peoples opinion on how to vote one way and not the other. Pros on police unions are that the wages of police officers went up and the benefits as well. There is mandatory time and a half pay for overtime. The police work all hours and many details and easily can work a 50-hour week, it is only fair for them to receive overtime. Also, whatever officer is stuck working third shift will be compensated for his odd hours of work. Overall I believe police unions are a success to the police community and they are still being used