InstructionsPlease draft a 3 -5 page research paper on current trends in unionizing. You can focus on any of the topics addressed in Week 5 and 6, including but not limited to:successful and failed at

Current Trends on Unionizing

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Current Trends on Unionizing

Introduction

According to the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, workers in the United States were given the right to join unions to help them bargain with their employers on issues such as pay and working conditions. A critical examination of unionization indicates that the number of individuals joining rose steadily since it became a right and later started declining in the last few decades. It is vital to acknowledge that unionization has increased from 2020 since the discovery of the Covid-19 pandemic. This paper aims to discuss the current trends of unionization and how it has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Successful and failed attempts at unionizing in big tech

In the big tech industry, the thriving of unions is often thwarted by the managers of the companies. However, some of the workers in Google have managed to form a union, which has significantly helped solve their issues at work. Over the years, the formation of unions in the big tech industry has been a nightmare as there are many critics about the benefits of unions. Some of the Google workers have formed a new union known as the Alphabet Workers Union, which aims at altering unfavorable policies on pay and harassment, and ethics in the workplace. It is vital to acknowledge that the union was formed secretly, and it is affiliated with a union that represents employees in telecommunications and media in the US. The formation of the union is a clear indication that employee activism is taking root in the big tech industry.

As much as some of the companies in big tech industry are trying to allow their members to unionize, others like Amazon have consistently thwarted any workers' attempts to form unions. It is vital to acknowledge that Amazon has managed to thwart any efforts of its workers since its founding in 1994 (Palmer, 2020). One reason Amazon does not want its workers to unionize is that they believe that the unions will disrupt their control over its warehouse and employees. Additionally, Amazon thwarts efforts to form unions because they fear that such unions will expose their aggressiveness on employees and workplace unrest (Palmer, 2020). Most individuals have questions why Amazon, a major player in the big tech industry, does not want its employees to join unions.

Impact of Covid-19 on unions

The covid-19 pandemic has had numerous impacts on unions that represent the rights and freedom of workers. One of the impacts of the pandemic is that unions have actively got involved in policy-making, especially through social dialogue to influence policy decisions. During the Covid-19 pandemic, unions have been on the frontline fighting for workers to retain their jobs and ensure that vulnerable workers have social protection (Ford & Ward, 2021). It is vital to acknowledge that during the Covid-19 pandemic, most of the economic activities of companies came to a stop, and thus the frequency of laying off workers significantly increased. Employees who are members of a union are privileged as the union can advocate for their demands during difficult times to honor their welfare. Additionally, the Covid-19 pandemic has made unions revolutionize and develop new techniques to continue representing the union members. Some of the techniques used by unions include campaigning on social media for the rights of their members.

Impact of Right to Work laws on unions

Right-to-work laws play a vital role in protecting workers from exploitation by unions that require them to pay dues as a condition of employment. Notably, right-to-work laws impacts unions in numerous ways. One of the impacts is that unions receive less dues from workers. With the right-to-work laws, the amount of dues paid to the unions by workers is regulated, and this reduces the revenue that unions accrue. With reduced dues, unions have limited capacity to engage in activities that help create employee awareness of pay and working conditions (Elster, 2021). Additionally, the right-to-work laws reduce unions' ability to hire staff members who can engage in augmented creation awareness campaigns and education programs for employers. It is vital to acknowledge that with reduced revenues from dues paid by workers, the unions have limited funds to hire qualified personnel who can continuously advocate for workers' rights.

Conclusion

Unionization plays an essential role in advocating for the rights of employees in various organizations. It is vital to acknowledge that the welfare of employees should be a priority for organizations. Through unions, employees can bargain with their employers to improve the working conditions and increase wages to match their productivity for the organizations they work for. Companies in the big tech industry should aim to provide a conducive environment t for their workers to join unions, which advocate for their rights. Notably, the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted unions in numerous ways, including developing new strategies to continue fighting for the rights of employees, such as social media campaigns. Additionally, the right to work laws help reduce the likelihood of exploitation of employees by unions who may require them to pay large amounts of dues.

References

Elster, J. (2021). 3. Is There (or Should There Be) a Right to Work?. In Democracy and the welfare state (pp. 53-78). Princeton University Press.

Ford, M., & Ward, K. (2021). COVID-19 in Southeast Asia: Implications for workers and unions. Journal of Industrial Relations, 00221856211000097.

Palmer, A. (2020, October 24). How Amazon keeps a close eye on employee activism to head off unions. CNBC. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/24/how-amazon-prevents-unions-by-surveilling-employee-activism.html