national current trade union activities

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Assessment of current labor union activities:
The national current labor relations activities are related to providing the working people the collective voice and bargaining power. One of the most important issues that unions deal with is that employers are trying to shy away from the responsibility for providing health insurance,, good pension coverage, reasonable work hours, and job safety protections (1). The unions are working on issues such as job security and income security of workers. The unions actively take action when there is downsizing, part-timing, contracting out, and off-shoring jobs. There are several examples in the news that illustrate the need for union activities for protecting the rights of workers. For example, the Oreo making line in Chicago was closed down and the jobs shifted to Mexico. The factory was providing good paying union jobs. There were 600 workers laid off in Chicago. The role of the trade unions was important. They led protects, lawsuits, and a boycott of Mexico made Oreos. Both the US Presidential candidates have promised not to eat Oreo made in Mexico.

The current labor conditions are such that labor unions have become important. Without collective bargaining, there is a threat that labor will be exploited in sweatshop conditions, unlivable wages, and 70 hour work weeks. The role of trade unions has become important in the context of US work force and quality of life for working families. Currently, most of the Unions in the USA belong to one of the umbrella organizations namely American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) or the Change to Win Federation. These organizations are actively involved in lobbying for policies and laws that are favorable to the workers in the United States. Politically, these unions broadly favor the Democratic Party. The labor unions are regulated by the National Labor Relations Act, 1935 and the law is enforced by the National Labor Relations Board. The unions actively work in the areas of increasing wages, raising the standard of living for the working class, ensuring safe working conditions, and increasing benefits for both workers and their families. Unions ...