Should the role of unions in the US be increased?Trade unions in the US are employee representatives during negotiations arising from disputes. The main purpose of trade unions in the US is to act as a voice of the employees of an organization so that they can get a fair share a fair share of the national ‘cake’. All employees of the US have a right to fair pay since they are all important players in the making of the economy. The prime reason as to why recession in the US currently persists is due to lower consumers’ purchasing power. Between 2000 and 2007, income for the middle class declined by about $2000. As the economy continues to worsen, consumers’ purchasing power is likely to fall further and this makes trade unions essential.
Trade unions also enable most workers in the US to move into the middle class economy bracket. Furthermore, it is unions in the USA that brought the idea of pension and health care schemes. On average, an employer belonging to a trade union earns a significantly more salary as compared to their non-union counterparts. On top of that, union employees are more likely to get benefits from their employers. By negotiating for increased wages, trade unions cushion the economic power of employees and improve their general well-being (Bill & Fernando, 2008).
About 70% of the US economy comes from consumers and thus trade unions role should be increased to cushion them further from economic woes. Decreasing the role of trade unions will make employees’ rights skeptical. Their chances of getting increased rewards such as an increased salary to match an increase in productivity are lowered. Increasing trade union role will keep employers on toes and increase protection of workers right. Increasing unionization rates and its roles is thus the best way to alleviate the economic standing and workplace conditions of millions of American workers (Bill & Fernando, 2008).
Role of human resource management in employee relations within Organizations
The main role of human resource management is to improve the relationship between the employer and his employees. This is done by human resource managers who formulate strategies and determine and organize the functional processes necessary to achieve the goals of an organization. He then organizes the functional process into departments and hires expertise in different departments to execute the different roles assigned to each department. The human resource manager is also responsible for identifying and resolving issues in an organization. The human resource department is also entitled to fair employment practices during the hiring process.
To begin, the human resource department deals with the recruitment and selection of employees. Employees’ recognition and promotion also falls squarely under the human resource department. This department should work on the best formula to attract a diverse pool of applicants through a well formulated recruitment and selection process. Moreover, this department is entitled to the training and development of the workforce as a way of preparation for future positions in an organization. Succession planning and performance evaluation of employees in an organization are also roles of the human resource department (Fichtenbaum, 2011).
Creation of a favorable working environment for employees to effectively carry out their tasks is a strategic role which falls under the human resource department. It involves risk management to avoid potential loss, injuries and fatalities at the workplace. This is normally done through training employees on how to handle complex machinery and on measures to take in case of a fault. Matters of compensation and benefit to workers are also roles of the department. They are important toward a particular organization because they have an impact on a company’s image, reputation and employees’ satisfaction. The human resource department should consider labor market conditions, budget constraints and workforce shortage in its strategic plan for employees’ benefits and pay department (Foster & Melvyn, 2004).
Role of government in Trade unions and employment
The American government should cooperate with employers and trade unions to foster sustainable development and equity among its citizens. The government does this through the federal which makes favorable rules on environment, health, safety and rights and status of women at the workplace. The government should also liaise with industries and businesses to promote the participation of trade unions and workers in the making, implementation and evaluation of policies on development. In addition to that, the government should create a favorable environment for trade unions so that they can effectively carry out their task of voicing out workers concerns (Giuseppe, Reto & Josef, 2014).
The other role of the government is to promote freedom of association. In full support of sustainable growth and development of the economy, the government should ratify and implement rules and regulations on freedom of association. The government should also trade unions have access to all the relevant information for effective decision making processes. Providing adequate training and accessing training needs of workers safety and health is the responsibility of the US government. Finally, the government should ensure that there is adequate capacity building of employers and employees to ensure sustainable growth of the economy.
- Bill, F & Fernando, G. (2008). Solidarity Divided: The Crisis in Organized Labor and a New Path towards Social Justice. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press
- Fichtenbaum, R. (2011). Unions Affect Labor’s Share of Income journal articles. Evidence Using Panel Data, 14(25), 7-19.
- Foster, R. & Melvyn, D. (2004). Labor in America: A History. Wheeling, IL: Harlan Davidson
- Giuseppe, B., Reto, F., & Josef, Z. (2014). Income Distribution in Macroeconomic Models: Income distribution. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University press
