THE BENEFITS OF LABOR
UNIONS AMONG UNITED
STATES WORKERS

AIM: CAN LABOR UNIONS BENEFIT
WORKERS?
• Can unions provide the vehicle for change?
• Identifying A Social
Problem.
• Can higher wages and benefits affect workers economically, politically and socially?

QUESTIONS (Social Problems)
• Do Non-union workers earn lower wages?
• Does union activity aid in understanding governmental policy?
• Does union membership help or hamper a workers’ ability to access needed health care?
• Are there other benefits to be gained through union membership?

GATHERING EVIDENCE OF THE
PROBLEM

INFORMATION SOURCES FOR UNIONS AND
EMPLOYMENT FACTS
• UFT NY TEACHER
• U.S. Dept. of Labor – statistics bureau
• New York State Dept. of
Labor
• AFL-CIO
• National Labor Relations
Board
• Journal of Labor Relations
• Labor’s Heritage
• IBEW Journal and Media
Relations Dept.
• Eugene V. Debs Home –
Museum
• A. Philip
Randolph/Pullman Porter
Museum Gallery
• http://www.mgbgs.com

ARE THERE REASONS WHY
WORKERS WOULD OR WOULD
NOT BELONG TO UNIONS?
• Do workers know enough about unions?
• What are government policies towards union?
• What are company policies toward unions?
• What is the History of unions in this country?

• PRO-UNION
• Wagner Act,1935 –
National Labor
Relations Act
• -right to organize & bargain collectively
• ANTI-UNION
• Taft-Hartley Act
• - prohibited closed shop
• - abolished checkoff system

EVALUATING PUBLIC POLICIES
• Advantages of Wagner
Act 1935
• 1.________________
2.________________
3.________________
4.________________
5.________________
6.________________
7.________________
• Disadvantages of
Wagner Act 1935
• 1.________________
2.________________
3.________________
4.________________
5.________________
6.________________
7.________________

EVALUATING PUBLIC POLICIES
II
• Advantages Taft-
Hartley Act 1947
• 1.________________
2.________________
3.________________
4.________________
5.________________
6.________________
7.________________
• Disadvantages Taft-
Hartley Act 1947
• 1.________________
2.________________
3.________________
4.________________
5.________________
6.________________
7.________________

EVALUATING PUBLIC POLICIES

HOW CAN WE HELP DEVELOP
DEVELOP SOLUTIONS TO
THESE POLICIES?
• POSSIBLE WAYS.
• Write letters to politicians
• Invite unions to speak on solutions
• Campaign for or against bills
• Petition corporations

LARGEST U.S. LABOR ORGANIZATIONS
• 1. International Brotherhood of Teamsters 1,891,000
• 2.National Education Association 1,684,000
• 3. United Automobile Workers 1,357,000
• 4.United Food and Commercial Workers 1,300,000
• 5. United Steel Workers 1,238,000
• 6. Am. Fed. Of State, County,& Municipal Wks. 1,098,000
• 7. International Brotherhood of Electrical Wks 1,041,000
• 8. United Brotherhood of Carpenters 784,000
• 9. International Association of Machinists 754,000
• 10. Service Employees International Union 650,000

• THINGS YOU HAVE • THINGS YOU MUST
DONE IN THIS
DO TO ARRIVE AT
SEARCH.
SOLUTIONS.
• 1. Studied questions
• 1. Develop public about benefits of policy solutions union membership
• 2. Gathered Evidence
• 2. Select the best
• 3. Identified Reasons solutions to the issue at hand.
• 4. Evaluated Policies