Produce a draft of your final project . In 400 words or more, explain the foundation of your research project. Use the research you did last week, follow the comments and recommendations of your TA an
Outline: History of Labor Unions in the United States
Outline: History of Labor Unions in the United States
Introduction
Thesis: The membership of labor unions has gradually declined as a result of deregulation and globalization in the United States.
Summary and Background
The peak of the percentage of unionized workers in the United States was experienced in the 1950s with 33.2 percent of workers being represented by unions in 1955. In 1960, the number of unionized workers dropped to 31.4 percent, and further to 28.4 percent in 1965. In 1970, 27.3 percent of workers were unionized, and the percentage has been falling gradually over the years. In 2018, only 10.5 percent of workers in the United States are represented by unions (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019).
The deregulation of industries that have been traditionally unionized such as airline, railroad, and trucking industries has contributed significantly to the decline of union membership in the United States (Collins, 2015). However, the federal government has taken some of the roles of unions by combating employment discrimination and advocating for protection of workers’ rights.
Globalization has increased competition in most industries making it impossible for industries to meet the high demands of unions leading to huge lay-offs and economic insecurity among workers (Fox, 2014; McGrath, 2017).
Conclusion
Labor unions have grown less popular over the years as the operational environment changed. The market conditions in the highly globalized U.S economy cannot operate efficiently under the conditions imposed by labor unions.
Annotated Bibliography
Collins, M. (2015, March 19). The Decline of Unions is a Middle Class Problem. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikecollins/2015/03/19/the-decline-of-unions-is-a-middle-class-problem/#455aeca57f2d
Collins examines the role of the 1947 changes on the National Labor Relations Act on the decline of unions in the United States. The changes gave employers more power to resist the efforts of labor unions. The law weakened collective bargaining and prompted employers to dismiss unionized workers.
Fox, J. (2014, September 01). What Unions No Longer Do. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2014/09/what-unions-no-longer-do
The article relates the decline of union membership to the competitiveness of American businesses. Unionization inhibits the competitiveness of businesses in the global arena, since companies can no longer afford the huge wage demands of unions and resort to paying workers as per the market rates.
McGrath, M. (2017, December 12). Unions Are Dead? Why Competition Is Paying Off for America's Best Workers. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/maggiemcgrath/2017/12/12/unions-are-dead-why-competition-is-paying-off-for-americas-best-workers/#3a3e52d5578a
The article analyzes the decline of the impact of unions in the United States citing that organizations increase wages based on the skills of individuals and not on the demands of unions. Employers are increasingly treating employees better to boost their morale and performance minimizing the need for employees to seek the services of unions.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2019, January 25). Union membership rate 10.5 percent in 2018, down from 20.1 percent in 1983. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2019/union-membership-rate-10-point-5-percent-in-2018-down-from-20-point-1-percent-in-1983.htm?view_full
The article highlights the decline in union membership in the United States across several decades from 1983 to 2018. In 1983, 17.7 million workers in the United States were represented by unions which represented a 20.1 percent membership rate, whereas in 2018, only 14.7 million workers are unionized representing 10.5 percent of workers.
