Organized Labor

Union

• An organized association of workers formed to protect and further their rights and interest; a labor union

Why Organized Labor?

• Collective Bargaining– Unions bargain for contracts on behalf of its members– Strength in numbers…they can’t fire us all!

– Except Air Traffic Controllers (1980’s) and Baseball Umpires (1990’s)

» Many were fired for going on strike!!

• Protect Workers Rights– Wages– Working hours– Working conditions– Benefits

Why Organized Labor?

• If Collective Bargaining doesn’t work– Strike—Union members refuse to work until a

fair contract is agreed upon

– Lockout—Management refuses to allow union members into work until certain conditions are met

History of Organized Labor

• Labor unions of many kinds date back to the early 1800’s– Very scattered, not influential, dissolved quickly

• I880’s…a few major labor unions began to grow in numbers and power– Fighting between them increased

• 1886…major unions joined together to create the AFL (American Federation of Labor)– Considered to be the first real Labor Union in the U.S.– Consisted of only “skilled” members from various areas of the

trades (steel workers, iron workers, etc)

History of Organized Labor

• Wagner Act of 1935– A.K.A. - The National Labor Relations Act– Protected rights of workers to form unions– Established the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)…

created to investigate unfair business practices

• Other unions form– Several unions form during the 1930’s

• Auto Workers, Electrical Workers, Rubber Workers

• The Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO)– Created in 1938– Large union consisting of smaller unions mentioned above– Main rival of the AFL

Labor History Timeline

1800 - 1865

1868 - 1899

The Progressive Era 1899 - 1919

1920 - 1933

1934 - 1945

1946 -1968

Progress and the New Challenges 1969 - 2000

Organized Labor Today

• AFL and CIO Merged in 1955– Consists of 54 smaller unions– Several million members

• Teamsters Union– Started as a small part of the AFL-CIO– Was kicked out in 1957, rejoined in 1985, broke away again in

2005– Strong ties to organized crime (Jimmy Hoffa)

• Declining in numbers today– Fewer manufacturing jobs

• Some unions still very strong– Teachers– Auto Workers– Carpenters– Electrical Workers

• Established in 1968 – Its mission is to eliminate coercive union

power and compulsory unionism abuses through strategic litigation, public information, and education programs.

• Every American to work for a living without being compelled to belong to a union.

• Taft-Hartley Act

Right To Work States

NHL Lockout Finally EndsMajor Arguments

•How to fund player pensions

•Cap length of player contracts

•How to set player salary cap

Economic Impact - Nashville

•Predators games pump $91 million a year into spending at downtown businesses, study says

•Sales at surrounding restaurants are down 5% to 12%

•Local hotel gets 40 to 45 rooms booked from visiting teams

•$410 million in job creation and spending