Labor Laws and American Workers
The Kenyan proverb “When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers” vividly illustrates the consequences and victims of the fight between powerful sides. As a matter of fact, corporation and unions can be considered as the powerful sides in the US economy. Unions are powerful labor suppliers that influence the level of wages and labor relations (Brimelow, 2011). Eventually, when unions fight against the labor policies of corporations less powerful sides, such as general public and private individuals suffer the consequences of the process.
The National Labor Relations Act of 1935, with the preceding the Railway Labor Act of 1926 have greatly contributed to the development of the collective bargaining of the American workers. Employees gained the
opportunity to unite in unions and represent their interests through these organizations. Some companies may reduce the workforce in their companies to preserve financial resources in response to the pressure from the
unions. In this view, workers may suffer consequences of this struggle. In response to such practices, labor unions may organize strikes, which results in a negative consequence for the US economy and the functioning of
the community that depends on the work of the conflicting parties. In order to protect the community and prevent negative outcomes of the conflict of interests between the unions and corporations, the US labor law prohibits unfair labor practices (ULP) that may initiate suffering of workers (Unfair Labor Practice, n.d.). These regulations include the illegal firing of workers and secondary boycotts that may paralyze economic activity of organizations and affect the entire economy. In extreme situations, the US Government and the US President may interfere to resolve the issues. Eventually, the mentioned proverb illustrates how powers may fight in the American society, while workers and the public may have nothing but suffer the consequences.
References
Brimelow, P. (2011). Less perfect unions. Pro Quest, 10, 19-22. Unfair Labor Practice. (n.d.). Retrieved from
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