Homework Clinic
Social Science Clinic => Business => Management => Topic started by: lak on Jul 7, 2018
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In a brief essay, discuss some of the reasons for declining union membership. Do you think this is good or bad for the U.S. economy and U.S. businesses? Why?
What will be an ideal response?
Question 2
The Change to Win Coalition was formed by several large unions that left the AFL-CIO due to concerns that the AFL-CIO was not aggressively organizing workers.
Indicate whether this statement is true or false.
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Answer to Question 1
Answer: Several things contributed to union membership decline over the past 60 or so years. Unions traditionally appealed mostly to blue-collar workers, and the proportion of blue-collar jobs has been decreasing as service-sector and white-collar service jobs have increased. Furthermore, several economic factors, including intense international competition, have put unions under further pressure. Globalization increases competition, and competition increases pressures on employers to cut costs and boost productivity. This in turns puts unions in a squeeze. Other factors pressuring employers and unions include the deregulation of trucking, airlines, and communications; outdated equipment and factories; mismanagement; new technology; and laws (such as Title VII) that somewhat substituted for and reduced the need for unions. The effect of all this has been the permanent layoff of hundreds of thousands of union members, the permanent closing of company plants, the relocation of companies to nonunion settings (either in the United States or abroad), and mergers and acquisitions that eliminated union jobs and affected collective bargaining agreements. Union membership as a percentage of people working has dropped about 2/3 over 50 years.
Answer to Question 2
Answer: TRUE