Americans maintain freedoms and rights not freely granted to people in other countries. The union environment on a national level is a stable, organized and informed organization. Globally, unions are still a new concept but as America continues to outsource or exports jobs, the probability of unionized companies will increase.
Components of a Union.
Unions are composed of nonsupervisory or nonmanagerial employees, including part-time workers. The union's shop steward, elected by members, is the liaison between the union and the employer. He or she collects dues, recruit new workers, the first to contact the employer on the employee's behalf regarding unfair labor practices. Unions are comprised of industrial unions, a local branch or affiliate of an international labor organization, or craft unions, unions that are organized around a particular craft. Agricultural and domestic workers, independent contractors, and those employed by their spouse or parent are excluded from the NLRA (Bennett, Hartman, 2001. p.445). The NLRA or National Labor Relations Act, established the right of employees to form unions, to bargain collectively, and to strike. The NLRB or National Labor Relations Board, is an independent federal administrative agency created by Congress to set standards to govern the exercise of power and provide the judicial enforcement of the orders of the agency. The board issues remedial orders, enforceable in the courts, to prevent commission of unfair labor practices. Section 8 outlines the actions deemed unfair labor practices:.
• interfere with, restrain, or coerce employees in the exercise of their rights;.
• interfere with the formation of a labor organization;.
• discriminate in the hiring or tenure of employment or discourage membership in a labor organization;.
• retaliate for filing charges or testifying under the act;.
• refuse to bargain with the representatives of the employees (Bennett, Hartman, 2001.
