Inclusion of Minorities in Unions Persuasive Essay

A discussion on how marginalized workers can use autonomous organizing to affect change within the union movement.
# 151396 | 1,118 words | 5 sources | APA | 2012 | CA
Published on Jun 10, 2012 in Labor Studies (General) , Women Studies (General) , Sociology (Multiculturalism)


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Description:

The paper discusses how minority groups can utilize the union platform to effectively advance their interests through separate organizing, political pressures on the union or government and utilizing litigation. The paper clearly shows how minority groups can highlight the injustices in the workplace and achieve greater union participation.

From the Paper:

"In 1920s, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP) that organized African-American workers saw success in improving wages and benefits, overturning racist job classification and increased promotions to better jobs. The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) was established to bring equality to African-American workers within their own union. And due to these pressures, increased attention has been placed on this issue and important reforms have taken place. Currently, CAW and CUPE have begun to address racial equality within their unions and increased racial diversity recognition within the union movement (Oikelome, 2006). Without the inception of this autonomous organizing, these changes might not have happened and shows the value of a autonomous organization within a predominately white, male union.
"Further actions that minority groups could pursue are political pressures. This includes lobbying unions to back political parties that have agendas which mirror equality issues important to the minority membership. Political parties are sensitive to lobbying by large influential unions and especially by votes that they believe could be gained through acceptance of proposed legislative reforms. Through separate or autonomous organizing, minorities could see their national influence rise through effective use of the political structure. In 2000, the EU adopted the 'Employment Equality Directive,' requiring all EU member states to ban workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation which is now a national law (Clarke & White, p. 95)."

Sample of Sources Used:

  • Clarke, M., & White, J., (2010). Women and Unions Study Guide,. Alberta: Athabasca University.
  • Colgan, F., & Ledwith, S., (2000). Diversity, Identities and Strategies of Women Trade Union Activists. Gender, Work and Organization, 7(4), 242-257. Blackwell Publishing - Journals.
  • Hunt, G., & Rayside, D., (2000). Labor Union Response to Diversity in Canada and the United States., Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, 39(3), 401-444.
  • Oikelome, F., (2006). An Exploration of "Working Against Racism: The Role of Trade Unions"., Equal Opportunities International, 25(2), 142-145.
  • White, J., (1993). Excerpt from Sisters and Solidarity: Women and Unions in Canada (pp. 212-219). Toronto: Thompson Educational Publishing Inc.

Cite this Persuasive Essay:

APA Format

Inclusion of Minorities in Unions (2012, June 10) Retrieved May 18, 2013, from http://www.academon.com/persuasive-essay/inclusion-of-minorities-in-unions-151396/

MLA Format

"Inclusion of Minorities in Unions" 10 June 2012. Web. 18 May. 2013. <http://www.academon.com/persuasive-essay/inclusion-of-minorities-in-unions-151396/>

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