2006 Winning Essays

A special thanks to the following people who served on the scholarship committee: Jeff Ricardson, Brianna Richardson, Sarah Miller, Mike Jagielski, Ryan Mello, Gail Ross and Todd Iverson. This year’s winners are:

 2006 High School Category Grand Prize Winner: ($1,000 Scholarship)

Anthony Tse, Auburn, WA

2006 Current College Category Grand Prize Winner ($1,000 Scholarship)

Maiah Albi, University of Oregon

2006 High School and College Semi-Finalists ($200 Scholarship)

Angelica Cassimiro, Newark, NJ

Julie Taylor, Pawcatuck, CT

Icela Garcia, Los Angeles, CA

Andrew Burleson, Irma, SC

Celestina Ripley, Soledad, CA

Nathan Wilmers, Huntington Woods, MI

Sara Stevens, Chandler, AZ

Wyatt Ellis, Puyallup, WA

Brett Smith, Fircrest, WA

Charlotte Aines, Glenview IL

Anthony Tse's Essay

Why America Still Needs Labor Unions
 

Labor unions have long played an integral part of our nation’s development and individual quest for freedom.  Carpenters disguised themselves as Mohawk Indians and “hosted” the Boston Tea Party in 1773 during our struggle for independence from England.  The Continental Congress met at the Carpenters Hall in Philadelphia and the Declaration of Independence was signed there in 1776. 

 

American labor unions have helped build a more prosperous and egalitarian society throughout the history of our country.  The National Labor Relations Act  (NLRA) of 1935 guaranteed working Americans the right to organize without fear of reprisal and to bargain with their employers for better wages, benefits and working conditions.  Labor unions were promoted by the federal government as necessary institutions in an industrialized democracy to help workers join together to resist corporate mistreatment, raise their wages and restore the worker’s role in America’s economic, social and political life after the frightening experience of the Great Depression.  Union leaders were consulted and their reactions to policy changes were reported in the news as a matter of course.

 

With the changes to the National Labor Relations Act in 1946, inconsistent enforcement of the labor laws and highly paid anti-labor corporate advisors, union bashing was turned into a national sport by the late 1970’s.  The American family’s budget was beleaguered by high inflation rates while the United States government battled a stagnant economy and national industries struggled to compete in the international marketplace.   Conservative government leaders gave tacit approval of corporate resistance to labor organization.  Since then, American workers who exercised their rights to peaceful assembly, to form and to join unions have been routinely harassed with threats of company shutdowns, layoffs or pay cuts. The fear generated by the increased homelessness around us during the last economic downturn, the potential loss of health benefits for families in the time of skyrocketing costs, and the unprecedented high rate of unemployment across all types of industries silenced the American workforce and union membership decreased further.

 

As the United States moved from being primarily an industrial nation to an information society, it has been questioned whether there is still a need for labor unions.  Employers claim they have been successful in keeping their businesses union free by giving workers more of a voice in their work environments.  Many companies have implemented profit sharing plans that allow more employees to share in the rewards of their efforts.  In the year 2000, a poll taken by the Scripps Howard Data Center of a sample of one thousand adult Texans found 81% of Texans satisfied with their jobs, but 60% responded that workers still need labor unions to protect their rights. 

 

 

For a more personal review of some of the issues that working families currently face, I learned from my parents that there has probably never been a better time to restore our nation’s earlier commitment to collective bargaining in the workplace.  My dad lost his job in 1999 after his company closed down and moved their headquarters to a different city after workers there tried to organize a union.  The workers had voted down the union after the company promised them significant improvements in their working conditions.  Shortly after the vote was taken, the company moved to Texas, a right-to-work state, where employees do not have to belong to a union to fill certain jobs.  The promised changes were never implemented.

 

My mom became the target of  “mobbing” or systematic harassment by management over an extended period of time to force her out of the workplace through intimidation last year.  She consulted with an employment attorney who advised that unless discrimination on the basis of age, gender, race, religion, disability, pregnancy or national origin could be proven that mistreatment of employees, no matter how egregious, is not illegal in the United States.  Having faced this company before, he laughed and told her that she did not need an attorney, that she and her co-workers needed a union.  War torn from ten months of trying to save her job, acutely aware of what had happened to hopeful union organizers at my dad’s company, and with a son ready to graduate and go to college, my mom was not willing to risk the potential consequences of this sage advice.  To this day, she still has not recuperated from the physically depleting and mentally traumatizing effects of this corporate nightmare.

 

In addition to these personal insights as to the ongoing need for protection of workers from the unchecked excesses of corporate America, news reports frequently cite statistics as to how national wage rates have not kept up with the skyrocketing cost of health care.  Organized labor has historically negotiated better salary increases and benefits for their members than employees have received from the employer directly.  According to US Department of Labor Bureau statistics, union women earn 39% more than their non-union counterparts.  The union premium for Latino workers is 54 % and 45% for African Americans.  Union members are also more likely to have health insurance, pension plans and paid vacations which help them protect their family’s quality of life.

 

Safe work environments also continue to be a concern for workers in many different industries.  Organized labor support has been integral to help pass federal legislation governing minimum safety standards in the workplace protecting the physical and mental well being of their members.  The political strength of organized labor speaks much louder to legislators than the lone voice of one constituent.   

 

Historically, unions have also provided essential job training that helps members improve their skills thereby promoting a high level of American workmanship in the competitive international marketplace.  In addition, unions often have referral services matching skilled workers with job opportunities benefiting the employer and the member both.

In order to help revitalize the American labor movement, labor unions could focus recruitment on women, minority and young workers.  These groups have traditionally been employed in low paying, semi skilled jobs and have been long ignored by unions that were traditionally dominated by white male factory workers.  To attract new membership from these groups, unions could schedule meetings during lunch while children are in school or daycare.  Minority or immigrant workers would be more attracted to union membership if their representatives looked like them, spoke their language and understood their culture.  

Union organizers could also focus membership drives on industries where no effective labor representation system existed yet such as the technology or service industries.  The widespread economic hardships resulting from the “09-11” tragedy in 2001, changed the way that many employers were able to do business.  There is little loyalty between many companies and even their long-term employees.  Many loyal workers faced layoffs for the first time and the remaining workers were left with increased responsibilities to be performed in less time.  With the advent of performance environments similar to the production quotas of manufacturing industries, well-educated office professionals are  seeking alternative ways to effectively voice their common concerns to management in order to mutually improve the company’s profitability without losing their jobs. 

Workplace violence threatens employee safety and is becoming a critical issue nationwide.  Organized labor’s political clout could encourage the passage of legislation that would  protect workers’ physical and mental health from toxic managerial styles and insure basic respect for all in the workplace.  Dignity clauses could be negotiated to hold managers responsible for demeaning treatment of people they supervise.  Not only would such legislation provide a foundation for the prosecution of dehumanizing treatment, it would discourage abusive behavior from occurring at all. 

An emphasis on effective collaboration between the labor unions and the corporation for the benefit of all, much like the Japanese organized labor model, could help insure the company’s continued local operation and competitiveness in the international marketplace.  Increased penalties to employers that discourage or impede workers from organizing their workplace could lead to a more democratic and participatory work environment.  With a greater voice in the operation of the company, employees may experience greater overall job satisfaction and increased production could result.

 <!--[if gte vml 1]> <![endif]--><!--[endif]--><!--[if gte vml 1]><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]--><!--[endif]-->Organized workers make a visible difference in their communities beyond the workplace.  Statistics show that states with high union membership have lower poverty rates, better schools, fewer health issues, and less crime than states with fewer union members.  Workers whose democratic rights are respected in the workplace are also more likely to believe in the political system and to vote.  High civic participation leads to better public policies that serve the needs of the entire community.  A public relations campaign focusing on organized labor’s many past contributions and current goals to help better working families’ lives could attract a number of new members or people that want to help make a difference in someone’s life.

Brett Smith's Essay

We the American Working Population

By Brett Smith

 

Many people today assume that things are the way they are because that is the way things are supposed to be. Let alone the dangers of this type of ideology regarding our dire need for much more progress; this way of looking at the world lacking depth and only in terms of immediacy doesn’t recognize the serious hardships that were endured in order to get us to where we are today. Before pioneers in human rights fought for better standards of living under barons in Feudalist Europe, conditions we would now consider deplorable were the norm. In our United States, there were many racist leaders and policies that reinforced the prejudices of the day that would blow the minds of current adoring romantics for the days of our founding fathers – from George Washington to Harry Truman. The truth is that there is a tendency for those with power to abuse it if opposing factions don’t hold them in check, and this is the function that labor unions have graced the workers of most developed nations with in order to bring about a higher quality of life for those who don’t own the means to mass-production.

 

Just take a look at the past atrocities that have been made possible by monetary enterprises running free and unregulated. Slavery in the United States, the most relentless form that was known to the world at that time, was seen as just a fact of life. Whereas slave-owners in Africa allowed for some liberties, the ability to work oneself out of slavery, and much more equitable conditions with their “masters” where slaves did the same tasks that their masters did, America took the practice to far new heights. Intentionally spreading feelings of helplessness through the African slave populations by dividing families, brutalizing those who tried to escape their situation, and minimizing the social standing of fellow human beings to less than that of horses, just to name a few. All the while, the US government was hailing all of the profits that were being produced by the US South exporting 7/8 of the world’s cotton (an equivalent to the OPEC black-gold mine) and passed legislature that actively sought to extend and protect these sickening practices. Much like the big businesses that they so eagerly serve, governments have had a long history of being stalemating barriers on progress.

 

Underneath the pretty speeches politicians spew forth that hired scriptwriters produce about our land of freedom and equality, these are basically new concepts – especially when you extend them beyond the white male demographic. Conditions of slavery were far worse than what nearly anybody experiences in contemporary North America. But the fact remains that when privileged businesses are allowed free-reign in their conduct without any policies holding them to their legally and socially necessitated conscience, you better believe that they are willing and ready to unleash the beast on anybody they have to in order to wrench out any profits that they can.

 

The expected practice of corporations today keeping right along the legal boundaries they are prescribed regarding their conduct is proof that the only thing holding them back is the safeguarding laws that keep them on that side of the fence. The reality that they often cross this boundary and try to hide or play down the significance of the violation is even greater proof that if they were allowed to, they would revert to the good old days of even greedier practices than we see today. They might not revive the practice of slavery, but they could easily backtrack a lot of progress that has been made.

For example, civil liberties are already being lost due to the infamous Patriot Act. If they can convince a person that being more “transparent” is protecting them, without labor unions governments could do considerably more damage.

           

            Sick pay, vacation pay, overtime pay, health and disability insurance, higher wages, more reasonable safety standards, prescription drug coverage, pension benefits, etc. These qualities often expected of many contemporary careers were never the standard practice when left in the hands of employers alone, not by a long shot. These privileges were fought for – sometimes to the bitter end – by individuals who refused to live their lives in agony so that some suits could sit and count the stacks of profits that the workers accumulated through sheer dedication. These attributes of decency in the workplace had to be pried from the hands of unbending employers, ever so slowly. Not that the process is over by any means, but the progress that has been made in the name of working populations is very often due to the convictions instilled by labor unions.

           

            To give labor unions a definition, I turn to The History of Trade Unionism by Beatrice and Sidney Webb, “A Trade Union (Labor Union), as we understand the term, is a continuous association of wage-earners for the purpose of maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment.” Functions of trade unions range from defending employees against undue unemployment, collective bargaining with the employers on issues of wages and working conditions, to taking actions against employers through strikes and resistance to lockouts in order to achieve the results workers deserve. If everybody just bum rushed an office of business without any structural backbone for organization, chances are that officials will brush the incident off as the actions of frenzied and frustrated individuals. But with a powerful, unified body of workers represented as One stepping forth to challenge the employer’s injustices, there is much less of a chance that an issue can continue unaddressed.

 

            The need for unions was spurred into necessity by the transition from agrarian civilizations with production based upon crafts into the Industrial Revolution. Ideology aside, a quick read of any major work by Karl Marx will shed light onto the conditions of this period. There were entire families working in factories ridden with filth and exhaustion throughout the day unable to pay for the basics of life. Meanwhile, the privileged few with enough accumulated capital to afford the expensive equipment needed to produce on such a large scale got richer by the minute. As far as they were concerned (and as far as the governments were willing to accommodate the needs of poor citizens), they were gracious enough to provide a means to make any money at all to the expendable workforce. What more should they have to give up to placate the downtrodden populous?

 

            These issues radiated terror through the guilds and crafts of the time, which were ill equipped to combat the ever-growing power and influence held by these businesses in systems of embryonic corporatism. Fears of worsening wages and work methods were rampant.  Women and children were being sucked into the pool of labor and being exploited to an even greater degree than the men were. There were cases of casualties on the job that ended with the corpse being dragged out of the workplace as the replacement walked in. Complete disregard for factory workers was just a reality of the day for the rich capitalists, and if reaching this echelon of society seems difficult by today’s standards then forget about it during this period of time. Only by the grace of god or by sheer fortune would commoners attain the status of the rich and prosperous.

 

            If it were a matter of all the segments of society standing up for themselves alone with nobody to help them along in the process, that would be one thing. But while the masses of desperate laborers were struggling to make pleas for their livelihoods, these businesses were summoning all kinds of support from the governments within which they operated.

Masters are always and everywhere in a sort of tacit, but constant

and uniform combination, not to raise the wages of labour above

their actual rate…[When workers combine,] masters… never cease

to call aloud for the assistance of the civil magistrate, and the

rigorous execution of those laws which have been enacted with so

much severity against the combinations of servants, labourers, and

journeymen. – Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations.

What are you supposed to do when you aren’t being paid an adequate wage to live off of – despite putting forth an unnatural amount of effort – and your boss both won’t make the necessary adjustments and when you try to organize against this injustice the government gets involved on the side of the clenched fist? The powerless workers needed a voice with enough strength to urge forth progress within the resistant ranks of big businesses.         

 

            There was a time in American history that corporations were strictly regulated and meant to be temporary with only a certain amount that they were allowed to make in profit. The founding fathers deserve a great deal of credit – despite their prejudices that aligned them with their day and age – in foreseeing the dangers that permanent corporations would present upon America. With the advent of permanent corporations, the presence of intense influences in the decision-making process of politicians began in its current context. Before this there were a lot of individuals to consider when creating policies (slave-masters, for one), a very unfortunate reality of politics. But the onset of particular individuals given preferential treatment due to their large pool of money to “contribute” for “private interest” is where the course was set for the extremely wealthy to assume more control over the political process. This threw the system even more off balance and presents a whole other issue for why labor unions are so desperately needed. If anything, we need more than labor unions alone to fight these conglomerates and curtail their radical conduct. By giving the heavyweights even more dominance, there needs to be a counterforce to adjust the power structure so that small-time individuals don’t become the cannon fodder of the big-gun corporations.

 

            This isn’t to say that today the US government doesn’t work towards similar goals that previous generations of rulers worldwide sought to sustain. The Bush White House and the Republican majority Congress have been pressing for lesser safety and ergonomic standards, privatized Social Security, undermined overtime, and expanding NAFTA through Central and South America with no regard for worker or environmental safeguards. Without the labor unions that were on the frontlines in this all-out war on the standards of living for generations to come, there is no guarantee that these policy initiatives wouldn’t have been successful. It is for circumstances exactly like the one we are currently enveloped within that labor unions are so vital to maintain and empower. With “social leaders” becoming ever more adept at sending euphemized signals to the masses through televisions and radios, there has never been a more critical moment to stand up against these degenerative forces. There has to be a significant force that is willing and able to combat these forces and encourage those not sitting at the top of the social stratigraphy that they matter just as much as the upper strata do. Without groundbreakers in laborer rights of the past taking action to counter the exploitative factories, who is to say that there would even be the thought in our minds that we deserve more than the hand that feeds us is willing to toss in our general direction today?

 

            The merit of labor unions speaks for itself in the changes that have been brought about through the toils that they have struggled through. The labour movement eliminated child labor exploitation (at least where it has been able to reach), bolstered worker security, elevated wages for union and non-union workers alike, sought and achieved public education for children, lowered the hours in a work week, improved the societal standard of living for all, and this leaves out several aspects that have been progressed through labor union’s efforts.

 

Beyond working for their constituent workers, many of the labor organizations have banded together, bridging gaps across communities, trades, and social brackets. This was the single most important factor in the consolidation of the voice for the American workforce. Without large groups like the AFL-CIO to speak across several segments of our society and actually being able to reach them and provide the means for defense, rallying up the morale of workers against the monolithic corporations that now exist would be nothing short of impossible. Beyond the political role inside of corporations that unions have played, they have also become a powerful player on the larger political stage. Through the mobilization of individual labor union members and the coalitions that have been built through alliances with similarly focused activist organizations on issues like trade policies, immigrant rights, living wage campaigns, and health care, the influence of the working class has been amplified several times from what was once meek at best.

 

Our current situation of job security in America is at a very crucial moment. With jobs being outsourced by multinational corporations to child sweat shops, developing and third-world nations providing impoverished laborers to exploit to egregious extremes, and other nations like India offering countless workers at much cheaper rates – all while these corporations pay little to nothing in taxes yet still experience the benefits as if they did so – it is hard to make oneself appear desirable in many job fields. In many cases, the only way to impress anymore is to be willing to work for the bare minimum, and people who find themselves caught in the crossfire have little means to stake their due claim without being dismissed by a heartless default.

 

This is precisely why unions are so essential. All parameters have at least strengthened. Union members are better fed, paid, clothed, and housed than non-union workers with similar occupations. It is more common for unions to provide improved access to prescription drugs and health care under safer workplaces with an available means to take effective recourse against employers when they breach basic standards of conscience. Women and minority workers also experience less occupational discrimination and are given their due claim to a life of equal opportunity. Unions deserve a deep appreciation by all workers for their support of the working class. To disregard the powers that have been earned through the blood, sweat, and tears of those before us is to spit in the face of the great accomplishments that have been created through these valiant organizations.

Celeste Ripley's Essay

Celestina Ripley

 

3. Why does America still need labor unions?

 

            A single grain of sand contributes to the giant seashore. A single drop of water helps to make the immense oceans. One distrubance in a pond can cause numerous ripples to recreate the glass-like top of the lake into an undualting force. A single seed can be planted and grow to produce hundreds of offspring once it grows into a mighty oak. One person can make a rally cry motivating those around to demand a change for the better. So it is with labor unions: all it takes is one to unite all others. One voice was all that was needed to change the heartless and thankless workplace into an environment that appreciates the worker and understands the demands placed on them. One heart was all that was needed to feel the pain of those suffering around them trying to make a living in conditions that would beat them back into submission. While it may not have been easy and trials were rough, those that persevered bettered all conditions for future generations. Labor unions, however, are by no means finished. They still need to be present in our American society to provide more change towards equality and improvement and serve as an imminent savior waiting in the wings if anything detrimental should happen to its dearest possession: the life of the worker. They need to promise to be there when the going gets tough and watch over those who wish to taint the system. Most importantly, unions need to consider the motivations of the past for advancement into the future.

            When the union movement first strated, working conditions in the United States were to the point of being barbaric, ferocious, and decrepit to say the least. An unseen and unknown owner of a giant company would order those in the positions beneath to oppress the workers for one thing: the almighty dollar that comes from increased output. Many methods were attempted to achieve this selfish greed. Some of those included barring the gates of entry and exit (causing no way of exit in case of a fire which lead to thousands of deaths), minimizing times for meals (leading to exhaustion and dehydration of the workers), closing windows to keep the workers focuses (when they were actually restricting proper ventilation), employing children and women for cheaper labor (though they did equal if not more work than men), and placing hellish work hours on those employed (sometimes even double or triple what a regular work week is in today's society). Injuries were often a common occurrence with limbs and lives lost due to fast moving machines. Those who lived through these injuries were forever scarred physically and mentally with the reminder of their oppression. Illnesses were ramptant from lint clogging lungs, clattering machines stealing the ability to hear, and toxic air poisoning the breathing passages of anyone who took a breath. All of these conditions seemed to dictate an inevitable unrest among those who were employed.

            A small voice could be heard among the masses when the feelings of unrest were first developed concerning the previously stated working conditions. That voice rallied those who were too scared to speak individually for fear of persecution under a uniting flag promising a protection of grouping. The beginning of the union movement was tumultuous to say the least with legislation passed by Congress hindering their efforts and promoting the company giants, blacklists being passed around the businesses pointing an accusing finger at those who wanted change and barring them from unemployment, and even physical and verbal persecution by those in charge. Time was on the unions' side, however, and, after the endurance of all these hardships and many more, the unions championed their cause. They broke through the barriers placed up through the decades and demanded changes to be make. While it may have taken time, the labor unions finally achieved their goal and demonstrated what they really wanted all along in terms of equality and comfort in any working conditions. They became organized after a few stumbles and learned from their past mistakes. Most importantly, the unions never forgot the motivation of that small voice that demanded a change to be made for the improvement of the workplace and the overall life of an employee. Speaking in terms of today's society, that one voice has grown into a resounding shout comprised of millions of union member breathing life into those who have passed on.

            Many may think that our remarkable change from the workplace of a century ago to now shows that unions have done their job and are now merely superficial groupings. They lay stake to the claim that since the conditions have changed, there is nothing left to improve upon. Their opinion and this assumption is completely erroneous and dejecting. Change is a constant struggle to keep advancing and oppose regression into the promitive circumstances. It is present in all facets and niches of surrounding enviroments both natural and manmade and can certainly apply to labor unions. Unions today are more important than they have ever been for many reasons.

            The first reason that unions are of importance today is the security that they provide for future generations. They seem to be a guiding force that promises a workplace that will only get better and a hope for continual advancement. Unions provide those who work for a living with the faith that there will always be a backing strength wanting to promote their intentions and better their lives. They seem to inspire us to look into the past and learn from those that came before us that change is possible and a group will always give power to the individual.

            Another reason that unions are of importance is to build on the things that they have already established. Unions have contributed to such great things as a diverse workplace that avoids bias, equal pay for equal work, pensions in retirement that can assure a comfortable life after dedicating time in the workplace, reasonable hours that allow someone to thrive outside of the workplace allowing for better productivity, more healthy and safe working conditions for all jobs, and so on. The improvements that have graced our society through unions are too numerous to count, but they are by no means finished. It is the continual job of the union to seek out those narrow-minded employers who oppress their workers and show them the error of their ways. It is also their job to publicize those employers who treat their employees as civilized human beings rather then work horses and set them as an example for the world.

            Finally, unions are of importance in America today for the purpose of continuing a legacy. A wise individual once stated that if we do not learn history, it is doomed to repeat itself. We must always consider the intentions and motivations of our ancestors no matter what field they were in or what cause they championed. We must respect their efforts and improve on their ways with the hopes of continuing their work. One of the most disrespectful things to do for those who have tried in the past is to forget their efforts and let them only grace the pages of our history books rather then the brain cells of our mind. Unions document past efforts and seem to promise that the memories and triumphs of the past will always provide impetus for the present and future.

            All it takes is one voice to demonstrate a wish and inspire others. All one needs to do is stand up for what they believe is right and have the motivation to what to change the present from the past and look forward to the future. Union members don't dedicate their sweat, blood, tears, and lives for the glory. They don't do it for the ability to become famous in the eyes of another and to be elevated on a seemingly unrealistic pedestal. Union members demonstrate their calling because of the satisfaction of change and improvement. They do it to inspire others to want to modify uncomfortable conditions without the hindrance of society's current barriers. Once you plant a garden, you do not leave it to grow unattended. You nuture it to provide bountiful harvests and luscious fruits of your labors. So it is with a union. The garden of labor still has fruit that is growing and the gardener, the union, must kee a constant watch that nothing detrimental will occur. This is all from the wishes of one, one who stood up, one who wanted to make a change for the better.

Julie Taylor's Essay

Solidarity: Preserving Dignity for American Workers

By Julie Taylor

 

            Not only does America still need labor unions, it needs them more than ever.  They are our only hope of continuing the American tradition of every worker getting a fair shake and everyone having the chance to succeed through hard work and perseverance.


            In today’s political climate, where capitalism is revered as “God’s will” and CEOs are the new high priests, the rights and dignity of the workingman are eroding daily.  It seems that every time you open a newspaper there is another example of faith being broken with the worker.  Benefits are cut, salaries are frozen and even long-standing pension agreements are revoked.  This news is hard enough to swallow, but when combined with the knowledge that top corporate officials’ salaries and benefit packages are skyrocketing, it is like rubbing salt into the wound. 


            According to the AFL-CIO web site, Executive PayWatch, CEO greed is a great threat to working families’ and their retirement security.  The web site lists incredible examples of corporate greed in salaries, and benefit and retirement packages. The CEO with perhaps the most outrageous retirement package is Henry McKinnell, CEO of pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, which has a non-unionized work force and who leads the Business Roundtable—a major backer of efforts to privatize Social Security.  With a $6.5 million annual retirement deal, he will not have to depend on Social Security when he retires.

            PayWatch points out that in 2005, the average CEO of a Standard & Poor’s 500 top companies received $11.75 million in total compensation and there’s little if any connection between CEO pay and CEO performance. A good example is Pfizer’s McKinnell.  Pfizer’s stock price has dropped nearly 45 percent in the six years he has been in charge.

            PayWatch has a database of 1,500 CEOs and is searchable by company name, ticker symbol, industry or total compensation.  Here it becomes obvious how the gap between the working man and top executives, who reap the benefits of their labor, is widening at an unprecedented rate. We are now at the point where thousand of workers could get health or retirement coverage for what companies pay many CEOs.

            America still needs labor unions because of human nature.  People are able to justify their actions and someone who is getting six million a year will soon believe they deserve seven million.  And that same person can justify the elimination of pension plans claiming it is for the health of the company. 

            To see the good our labor unions do for all in this country and the need for them in the future, all you have to do is look at their history and everything they have made possible.  Unions have been instrumental in American history from the very beginning.  Workers have always been the backbone of this nation. Workers formed primitive unions, or guilds, in many cities in colonial America.  They played a significant role in the struggle for independence.  In 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed in Carpenters Hall in Philadelphia and the very words spoken there validated union ideals. In "pursuit of happiness" through higher pay and shorter hours, printers were the first to go on strike, in New York in 1794; cabinet makers struck in 1796; carpenters in Philadelphia in 1797; cordwainers in 1799.  From the beginning of our nations history unions have tried to improve the workers' conditions, through either negotiation or strike action.

                Worker’s rights, which seem to be eroding, are not just rights we assume through common sense, they are legislated legal rights. In 1914 Congress passed The Clayton Act which stated that "the labor of a human being is not a commodity or article of commerce".  This was a big step because it made workers not subject to Sherman Act provisions.  The Sherman Act had been the legal basis for injunctions against union organization. The Clayton Act legalized strikes and boycotts and peaceful picketing.  It dramatically limited the use of injunctions in labor disputes. It was the "magna carta" of labor law and the doorway to all the advances made since.  However, in today’s political climate, due to powerful corporate lobbying, injunctions are being more frequently used as politicians interfere in labor disputes.  Therefore, labor unions are needed, and they need to be strong, to fight this trend, or all the advances made over the last 200 years will be lost.

            A civilization is judged by the health, wellbeing and rights of the common man.  It doesn’t matter what the gross national product of a nation is if that wealth is only distributed among the top one percent of its citizens.  The whole concept of our America is that everyone’s well-being is important.  One person’s rights can not be over ruled by the masses and the common man’s rights can not be over ruled by the powerful few.  Labor unions may be the single most powerful influence in America in championing and protecting these rights.   Therefore, America still needs labor unions because the prosperity and happiness of a nation can be measured in the prosperity and happiness of its workers.

Maiah Albi Essay

Maiah Albi

University of Oregon

April 11, 2006

 

America’s Need for Labor Unions

                       

“Stands must be taken.  If I am to respect myself I have to search myself for what I believe is right and take a stand on what I find.  Otherwise I have not gathered together what I have been given; I have not embraced what I have learned; I lack my own conviction.”  Hugh Prather’s statement perfectly embodies the necessity for the continuation of labor unions.  The influence of writers such as Prather, and even revolutionary films such as “Norma Rae”, are effective in conveying the meaning and importance of labor unions in America.  By looking at the goals and accomplishments of labor unions past and present, the need for the continuation of these associations in the United States is strong and clear.

Significantly, labor unions defend the welfare systems of America.  Members of labor unions are safe in the comfort they are protected against immediate unemployment,and the costs of health care and old age, as well as similar expenses.  Members are given legal advice and representation, which is a colossal asset for workers and their families, particularly those who rely on their job’s income for the basic necessities of living.  Labor union workers also have the benefit of collective bargaining, which in many situations allows them to negotiate working conditions and wages with their employers. 

This ensures workers fair pay, hours, and treatment by employers.  Labor unions guarantee workers are not taken advantage of in the workplace, which commonly occurs in situations when power or control is present and abused.  Employees are able to maintain respect for themselves as well as for their employers when they feel comfortable and fairly treated in the workplace, which labor unions are capable of providing. 

Labor unions also allow for workers to take action when necessary to protect their rights.  They provide the opportunity to organize strikes or resist lockouts when inequality or unfair treatment arises.  Labor unions give workers a voice: they are able to speak and act freely when working conditions threaten their jobs or quality of life.  A specific example of a labor union strike with positive benefits in

Eugene, Oregon can be seen last year in the example of the Lane Transit District(LTD) bus strike.  A three-year contract resulted from the six-day strike, which gave workers a better working environment and funding to better service the community.  Before the strike, they effectively notified the community, and even offered suggested alternative temporary modes of transportation for those whose daily life relies on the bus system.  With the support and backing from the local community, the strike was organized, effective and successful, and earned the workers the benefits their work deserved.

Politically, labor unions are a necessity in the United States of America.  Many unions promote legislation or support political candidates.  This support and lobbying is necessary for many political campaigns, and ensure the nation’s leaders even more funding and support in order to achieve their goals through leadership.

Labor unions also influence society through alliances with activist organizations.

In the past, labor unions have raised issues of health care, immigrant rights and trade policies alongside activist organizations.  Their work and sphere of influence touched not only the labor union and its members, but continues to permeate the surrounding communities and nation as a whole.

Labor union work has proven to be beneficial for the nation’s children as well.

Union work in the past ended child labor and has continued to fight for children’s education.  Also, the effective reduction of hours in a workweek allows union members more time in the home and family and most importantly, with their children.

This increase in salary and time for the family has raised the nation’s standard of living.  Labor union workers can provide more without sacrificing quality time in the home.  Therefore, labor unions continue to provide for families who are thankful to be able to give the support and time necessary for a successful family and quality of life.

Not only has union work enabled increased wages and decreased hours, it ensures worker safety and equality.  Quality of life has risen as a direct result from the work and action of labor unions, and women specifically in labor unions have seen and increase in workplace equality as well.  Women have continued to earn fairer pay in relation to their male counterparts, and are protected and supported when they stand for their rights and refuse to accept discrimination or harassment in the workplace.

More than just the money, labor unions care about equality, freedom and protection. The unions empower the people to fight for and speak up for a fair and just working environment, without fear of rebuke or punishment.  Labor unions effectively establish dignity, self-worth among its workers and productive and flourishing businesses across the nation, and America in Solidarity perfectly embodies the unified spirit necessary to continue to provide a fair and just world for the workers of America.

Nathan Wilmers' Essay

Why America still needs labor unions.

 

            “The only way Ford’s gonna be competitive globally is if it crushes that damn labor union,”

            I sat bolt upright, hardly believing my ears. 

            “what?! You blame the unions for the failures of the ailing American corporatocr—,” I started to responded, but was quickly silenced by my father’s swift kick at my leg under the table. 

I had already had misgivings about attending such a self-congratulatory, elitist function, but my parents had convinced me that it would be unpalatably disrespectful for me to turn down the Optimist Club Youth Award.  As such, I found myself, at the ungodly hour of 7:30 in the morning, sitting with several other winners and some representatives of the Optimist Club, vainly trying to keep from nodding off as their conversation languidly moved from golfing to the “Optimist Creed” and to which were the nicest restaurants in the Birmingham area (a rich suburb of Detroit).  The rabidly anti-labor comment that had finally pulled me from my stupor came from a particularly botox-ed Optimist Clubber and fulfilled my stereotype of the bourgeois “liberal” more than even the most biting DRUM Black Power anti-capitalist cartoon.  Needless to say, last fall when I was surprisingly given the same award again, I politely turned it down and have had no encounters with the Optimist Club since.

Sadly, however, I could not avoid Botox-man’s venomous comment quite as easily.  As offhand and absurd as this undisguised condemnation of one of the nation’s largest labor unions was, it seems indicative of the method of the contemporary anti-union discourse.  The ignorant Trust-Fund man who happened to present this opinion was hardly the first to do so; simply the most blatant and un-circumspect in a long series of anti-union pro-corporate globalization pundits.  Indeed it seems that American unions have been figured as isolationist, reactionary entities attempting to block the inexorable motion of corporate globalization; selfish organizations that prevent further development and job creation in the poorest parts of the world.  This, of course, could not be further from the truth.

As Co-president of my school’s Amnesty International chapter, I chose to focus on “Human Rights and Economic Globalization” as our human rights topic for this year.  Throughout the year we have tried to educate our teachers and fellow classmates about the oft-brutal realities of a globalization that takes no account of worker’s safety, living wages or human rights.  In our first newsletter of the year, I wrote:

Economic globalization is basically the increasing trend towards economic interdependence across national boundaries- it is a term that describes investment by wealthy foreign companies in under-developed or developing countries in order for the companies to develop and exploit the cheap labor markets and untapped natural resources of such countries- it is a term that explains why the white undershirt you’re wearing right now was made in Honduras or why your pants were made in Cambodia.  Economic globalization and foreign investment can bring new jobs and capital to the poorest of countries, but it can also undermine the fledgling local economies of such developing nations while circumventing the hard-won labor and environmental rights in place in late capitalist nations.  In fact the entire concept of a foreign owned corporation- a corporation run by fabulously rich white men who are only investing in a given community because they believe they can turn an often short term profit there- a corporation with very little accountability and with influence and power matching its vast wealth- seems to lend itself to the dehumanization of local peoples and the violation of their basic human rights.

 

So, our group tried to educate our community about the awful consequences of economic globalization both to our own local Detroit economy—an economy highly dependant on the jobs that are now being lost by the rapidly outsourcing automobile industry—and the developing nations who are supposed to be the beneficiaries of globalization.  Indeed, we concluded that the current model of economic globalization was designed by and for a corporate elite and the most effective counterweight to these greedy corporations were unions. 

            American unions are on the front line of the battle against the outsourcing that throws decent workers out of jobs they’ve worked much of their life.  Unions channel the power and protest of workers in the face of a vicious free market ideology that places the capital accumulation by the super-rich above all other considerations.  Unions educate workers about the reasons corporations give for outsourcing, and expose these reasons for what they really are—hollow excuses for more corporate pocket-lining.  Even beyond the context of economic globalization, labor unions continue to be a bastion of workers rights.  Unions fight for workplace safety, good health care, pensions, and respect at the workplace.

            However, America, and the world, also needs labor unions to fulfill a purpose that they have largely failed in thus far.  Labor unions must understand that corporate globalization will continue unless they are able to organize effectively in a transnational setting.  American labor unions must look over the Mexican-U.S. border and see that maquiladora border factories, the terrible offspring of NAFTA, exploit cheap labor and offer only unbearable working conditions; they must recognize that the conditions in Mexico and elsewhere around the world are rife for unionization and must support grassroots efforts at labor organization in such places.  Only if the workers of the world can unite in unions can the current model of economic globalization be replaced with a more egalitarian and humanist model of global development.

Wyatt Ellis' Essay

Wyatt Ellis

April 15, 2006

America In Solidarity

Scholarship Application Essay

 

Why America Sill Needs Labor Unions

The purpose of this essay is to give my opinion on why American workers still need labor unions. The prompt seems to imply that we in fact do need unions, but my question is does America really need labor unions at all? Labor unions’ aims are maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment. Some of these conditions they aim to improve are wages, medical benefits, reasonable workdays, job security, and safety. Why would unions need to fight for these things if they have an employer who would willingly pay a fair wage, give medical benefits, promise job security, and ensure a safe working environment? The answer is, as sad as it may sound, that this type of employer does not exist, and workers must unite to ensure these things will be given.

            My knowledge and experience with unions comes directly from the ILWU, Local 23, where my grandfather, father, uncles, and cousins are all members. Growing up, I took what the union had given my family for granted, not out of disrespect or lack of appreciation, but out of ignorance. My whole life, our family had great medical benefits, my Dad had a schedule that allowed him to take days off when he needed, and he didn’t have the stress or worry of losing his job. I had always thought that this is the way every American’s job was. As I grew up and began to understand how business, economics, and politics worked, I realized that this is far from the reality. All of these things that my father and other ILWU members rightfully enjoy are things that the union had fought for. The ILWU began when workers of all races and beliefs came together with one single purpose: to achieve a better life for themselves and their families. “The history of the ILWU, the record of its origins and traditions, is about workers who built a union that is democratic, militant and dedicated to the idea that solidarity with other workers and other unions is the key to achieving economic security and a peaceful world.” (ILWU.org) Economic security and a peaceful world is why America needs labor unions.

            The time period and context in which the ILWU began is vastly different from the times now, but the attitude and purpose is the same. Everything including the work itself, the political climate, and issues that the union and employers fight over has changed. The vessels that longshoremen used to work on were general cargo, and the work was very irregular. Today, the majority of ships hold containers and there is a fairly steady flow of work year round. So the question, again, is why do we still need labor unions? Unions are necessary to continue protecting workers from the same issues that they have had since the start as well as unforeseen, new issues that may arise.

Today’s political climate on the national level is not in favor of unions, let alone one as powerful as the ILWU. As we have already witnessed in 2002, as the longshoremen and the employer had disputes on contract issues, the PMA locked out the longshoremen, which enabled the Bush Administration to seek a national emergency injunction under the Taft-Hartley Act. Opponents of the union have suggest moving longshore workers from under the National Labor Relations Act, which allows workers the right to collective bargaining and strike, to coverage under the Railway Labor Act, which would deny this union the right to strike. Under similar circumstances, in 1981 Ronald Reagan fired over 13,000 striking air-traffic controllers after ignoring his order to return to work. This blatant disregard of workers’ rights is precisely why workers must unionize.

As the ILWU website stated above suggests, unions must not only work for their own, but all working men and women, and all unions. The air-traffic controllers’ strike was supported by 85% of their workers. This was still not enough because only about 1,650 had returned to work. Even when nearly all of the workers of such a large union were on strike, they still were unsuccessful. It is the responsibility of all unions help out other unions and create a positive view of unions in the public eye, so laws which deny 1^st Amendment rights, like the right to assemble, will not be implemented. It is also their responsibility to help non-union workers establish a sense of solidarity with their fellow workers.

Now that I have explained why I think America still needs labor unions, the next question is how can they continue to have success in creating better lives for its workers and their families? The traditions of democracy and solidarity in the ILWU and others are essential to their survival. It is every worker’s responsibility to be loyal and respectful of his or her union, because it is only as strong as what you make it. Every single day can be looked at as an opportunity to strengthen or weaken your union. The productivity and efficiency of the work and the safety of workers are what will give the employer a good reason to respect their employees. Everybody benefits from getting the work done and every person going home safely at the end of the day.

The next step is to educate and include the youth and young workers on union issues. The young workers will be the ones who will take over the union when it is their time, and depending on how they are educated and treated will determine how they will treat the union. It is essential for the union’s future to do what it can; in addition what it already does, to build a strong support for its future. I understand that new workers are not yet entitled to the same freedoms as veterans, but investment in the future should be an important goal.

This is my personal view on why America still needs labor unions. People outside of union families may have drastically different views, but this is the reason why workers must create a sense of solidarity among American workers -- union or not. Rights that workers have should be a given, however, greedy corporations and their supporting politicians make this difficult to achieve. It should be every American worker’s priority to support the idea “that all Americans will be entitled to a fair and honest wage, affordable health care coverage, a safe work environment, and protection from corporate greed.” (America In Solidarity)