Are Unions Still Relevant?

by Noah Berlatsky (Editor)

Overview

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that in 2016, 16.3 million American wage and salary workers were represented by a union. Statistics correlate that union workers are paid at least 200.00 dollars higher per week than non-union workers. Unions are specifically created and operated to protect the worker from unfair business practices, and improve the quality of life for workers. Conversely, some unions have such a stronghold on productivity numbers, that workers, once having met their quota for the day, can stop working. Big businesses view unions as friends or foe because of their power and ability to change the workplace on behalf of the worker's rights and desires. While sheer numbers of membership show that unions are relevant, there are several factors left to debate. This volume offers the full breadth of perspectives on unions, through eyewitness accounts, governmental views, scientific analysis, and newspaper accounts. Your readers will be able to use this one source as an excellent research tool. Main ideas are copied from the text and repeated as pull quotes so that readers can track the important facts as they are developing opinions on unions, writing reports, or otherwise.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780737761528
Publisher:	Greenhaven Publishing LLC
Publication date:	03/08/2013
Series:	At Issue Series: American Politics
Pages:	120
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.25(d)
Age Range:	15 - 17 Years

Table of Contents

Introduction 7

1 Unions Are Still Important Michael D. Yates 10

2 Unions Are Outdated and Harmful Gary Becker 22

3 The Great Recession Has Marginalized Unions James Surowiecki 26

4 Globalization Has Damaged the Union Movement Jeffrey M. Hirsch 30

5 Globalization, Union-Style Louis Uchitelle 34

6 Public Sector Unions Are Vital for US Democracy Peter Rachleff 46

7 Public Sector Unions Hurt the Public Daniel DiSalvo 53

8 Unions and the Public Interest: Is Collective Bargaining for Teachers Good for Students?-Pro Richard D. Kahlenberg 66

9 Unions and the Public Interest: Is Collective Bargaining for Teachers Good for Students?-Con Jay P. Greene 76

10 Teachers' Unions Weaken American Education Lindsey Burke 86

11 Right-to-Work Laws Free Workers from Coercive Union Control Jeff Jacoby 91

12 Right-to-Work Laws Hurt Workers, Society, and the Economy David Madland Karla Walter Ross Eisenbrey 95

Organizations to Contact 103

Bibliography 107

Index 111