Abstract
The paper examines three works that analyze the downfall of the American labor movement, but also provide positive information on the transformation of the labor union organizational structure. The paper discusses labor unions' aggressive grassroots campaign, their extension of member demographics and their efforts to establish legitimacy. The paper concludes that, although smaller in size, the influence of labor unions in the political arena is still strong and through expansion and reinvention, labor unions may become the driving force of labor market issues in the 21st century.

Outline:
Labor Organization and Movement
Expanding the Grassroots Campaign
Legitimacy and Organizational Structure

From the Paper
"The state of the modern American labor movement has seen a drastic change since the congressional and election reforms of the 1970's. Not only did the McGovern reforms eliminate the influence of political party leaders, it served to change the strategic approach of labor unions in the political arena. Additionally, the McGovern Reforms of 1972 addressed the partiality in the Democratic delegation, and hindered the labor unions from seating specific delegates that were labor friendly. In this sense, labor unions were forced to choose Democratic candidates much more wisely, and impaired the standard blanket effort to sponsor multiple Democratic candidates in a single race."

Tags:structure, grassroots, campaign, legitimacy, membership, institutionalization, representation

Abstract
This paper points out that by acting on behalf of a large group, the labor unions have more power than if the employees acted alone. This paper describes and compares United Airline's and Ford Motor Company's labor practices and problems. This paper presents an ideal employer-labor relationship.

From the Paper
"Congress, starting to feel pressure for groups like the AFL, created the U.S. Department of Labor. The department has a mandate to protect and extend the rights of wageworkers. A children's bureau was created. In 1914, the first law to protect workers was enacted, the Clayton Act said that "the labor of A Human Being is not a commodity or an article of commerce." Because of this change in the legal status of work and labor, those things were no longer subject to the Sherman Act provisions that had been the legal basis for injunctions against union organizations. The Clayton Act allowed for strikes, boycotts, peaceful picketing and dramatically limited the use of injunctions in labor disputes."

Tags:power, united, ford, practices, problems, ideal, relationship, uaw, iam, negotiation

Abstract
The paper discusses the history of labor unions and disagrees with the belief that labor unions are archaic and provide few benefits to workers in the 21st century. The paper explores the political power and influence that labor unions have in shaping Senate and House legislation in the US, in addition to monitoring the policies that may impact domestic labor. The paper shows how labor union influence in contemporary United States politics and public policy has gained momentum in shaping the outcome of domestic and foreign policy.

Outline:
The Contemporary Role of Labor Unions
The Labor Union Power Game
Changes that Impacted the Labor Union Political Strategy

From the Paper
"The original form and function of the labor union was to provide protection, benefits and a political voice for workers in manufacturing and skilled trades. In the early 20th century, the AFL-CIO was formed, and influential movers such as Samuel Gompers aided in the facilitation of increased wages and benefits for textile and manufacturing workers. The power of labor unions progressed so quickly and drastically, that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt included a labor regulation policy in the New Deal in the early 1930's. As a result, the Department of Labor was established to monitor the authenticity of labor unions in addition to regulating the practices and extent of power of these advocacy groups."

Tags:workers, politics, advocacy, rights, protection, benefits, Congress, legislation

Abstract
This paper discusses the power of labor unions and their tactics.
The paper first explains that labor relations are a natural outgrowth of labor unions that depict the relationships between the unions and management. The paper then discusses how it is in both labor unions' and managements' interests to cooperate and work alongside each other.

From the Paper
"A labor union is a representative group that can bargain with management on such diverse issues as wages, working conditions, relations, and even health care coverage. They can also recommend to the union members certain actions be taken by the membership in order to influence the outcome of such bargaining. Unions are also known for the influence they wield in regards to politics and implementing or changing laws that affect their membership(s)."

Tags:labor, relations, strikes, negotiations

Abstract
This paper, written from a pro-union stance, provides background information on the development of unions, explains the reasons that workers unionize, and takes a look at the pro and con sides of unionization.

From the Paper
"It goes without saying that the balance of power between the employers is always heavily tilted in favor of the employers. The workers are, therefore, vulnerable to gross exploitation leading to low pay, long working hours and poor working conditions. In an unequal relationship, a lone worker stands no chance against an employer who is focused on deriving the maximum profit from his business. Collectively, of course, the workers can be a force to be reckoned with. The initial period of the Industrial Revolution, both in Europe and the United States, was marked by appalling working conditions, and grinding poverty for vast numbers of the working people. Twelve-hour or longer working days for 7 days a week under the harshest of conditions were the norm. The birth of the Labor Movement was, therefore, a logical outcome. Workers in factories, coal-mines, and rail-roads began to organize themselves and demanded better pay and working conditions. The employers, who were used to getting things done cheaply, opposed the formation of such "unions" vigorously. This led to confrontation and strikes but eventually the workers were able to get some of their demands accepted."

Tags:slaves, serfs, poorly, power, conditions, guilds, association, trades-people, improve, working

Abstract
This paper discusses how the state of California has given rise to some of the most significant changes in American labor relations. It analyzes how throughout its history, the state has been able to provide jobs in various sectors of the economy, from agriculture to aerospace and how currently, California unions represent workers in every industry, including education, entertainment, construction, health care, petroleum refinery, clothing and transportation. It provides a few examples from California's recent history that bear witness to the power and significance of labor unions in the state. It shows how California unions help workers achieve basic human needs such as reasonable wages in tune with the national economy, healthy workplace environments and a balance of power between management and employees. Without labor unions, skilled and unskilled workers in California would be grossly underrepresented in government and politics, as unions exert powerful influence on state and local public policy.

From the Paper
"California labor unions benefited immensely from the Franklin Delano Roosevelt presidential administration. In part because of an influx of farm workers into the state from the "dust bowl" of the Great Plains, organized labor in California became increasingly important to secure rights. The National Recovery Act (NRA), and the Wagner Act, passed following the Great Depression, helped correct the injustices of California-based businesses. These new laws affected the booming oil industry in southern California, as well as the farming industry. The formation of both the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) affected California laborers because of the amount of skilled and unskilled workers in the state and due to the state's plethora of industries."

Tags:workplace, management, employees, government, public, policy

From the Paper
" Integration of Powers:
The Assimilation of Labor Unions into the Administrative Structure of American Society

The "right to work," "fair labor practices," "equal pay for equal work," and "non-discrimination" are terms that have become so integrated into the vocabulary of administrative specialists in the United States that the historical impact of those terms have become only a dim memory, usually of interest solely to the historian. This analysis will look at some of the critical labor laws of the past, and after discussing their current validity, try to determine their importance to the present-day role of the administrator. This analysis is organized in the following manner: Section 1: Labor Past and Present; Section 2: Major.."

Abstract
The paper explains the reasons for the relative bargaining power of American workers in the 1800s and the decline of this power in the latter half of the 19th century. The paper explores what then changed in the 1930s until 1946, by which time the nation was thoroughly accepting of labor unions. The paper goes on to discusses why, from that time to the present, there has been a steady decline in union membership until today.

From the Paper
"There are a number of ways to analyze the change in the relative bargaining power of the factory and industrial worker from 1946 to the present day. One method would be to understand the relative scarcity, as represented by the movement in real wages, of the factory worker from 1800. At that time, the US was growing fast, immigration was relatively low, and European capital continued to pour in to the US during the entire 19th century in order to chase better returns and stronger growth than on the Continent. American productivity climbed as capital poured in, partly due to the universal education that was part of the founding principles of the United States."

Tags:unions, immigration, productivity, employment

Abstract
This paper explains that, whereas the Wagner Act forbade employers from interfering with or stopping employees from collective bargaining, the Taft-Hartley Act granted employers more provisions to strengthen their position against labor unions. The Taft-Hartley Act, the author relates, gave human resource departments more flexibility in hiring practices and negotiating wages and working conditions. The paper describes the strengths of the United Auto Workers (UAW)and the United Steel Workers of America (USWA), the problems of unionizing retail workers and the creation of teacher unions in some states as permitted by the Wagner Act.

Table of Contents:
The Wagner and Taft-Harley Acts
The Unions

From the Paper
"It also should be noted, however, that the court of public opinion and government also weighs against retail worker's unionization. Despite the increasing importance of the service industry in America, steel and cars are seen as more important for local economies, and retail workers are often viewed as providing a secondary income to their family, even though this is not necessarily the case: the traditional image of retail workers is of women bringing in a supplementary salary or teen workers temporarily supporting themselves through college."

Tags:reformation shops, right to work laws, power wal-mart

Abstract
This paper explains that, in his lifetime, Jimmy Hoffa was described as the most powerful man next to the President of the U.S. because of his influence in the union and America's crime organizations; therefore, it appears odd that a man of such wealth and power, who shaped the labor unions of America, would all of a sudden just vanish. The author points out that the day after Hoffa's disappearance, his green 1974 Pontiac Grand Ville was found unlocked in the restaurant parking lot with no signs of foul play; the question of who did it is not clear because so many men wanted him dead. The paper concludes that, now after 30 years, with all of the men who were involved or knew about this great mystery dead, either through gruesome deaths or natural causes; the FBI has given up on the case, which most likely will forever remain a mystery.

From the Paper
"Later Hoffa was arrested for jury tampering, a charge that landed him in jail for several years, leaving Frank Fitzsimmons as his successor. The mafia liked Frank Fitzsimmons better than Hoffa because he gave the mob whatever they wanted. After four and a half years in jail, Hoffa was pardoned by President Richard Nixon in 1971. Hoffa came out as the good guy and began trying to take back the union he had single handedly built. Hoffa became a loose cannon by shooting his mouth off about the mafia and how if he got back in, he was going to kick Fitzsimmons and the mafia out. It appeared that everyone knew how dangerous this situation was, except for Hoffa. While Hoffa claimed he was going to stop the pension fund from being used for the Mafia's own personal bank. Hoffa was still a hero to the workers he represented, the real leadership in the Teamsters union would be just as happy to have him on ice."

Tags:vanish, powerful, fbi, provanzano, briguglio