Labor Union Formation - Collective Bargaining Analysis

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unity, and interdependence based on mutual trust and respect to create socially responsible environments that challenge all of us to listen, to learn, to change, and to serve.” (Saint Leo University)

With that idea in mind that whole workforce together allows all individuals workers questions or concerns are heard then combined they are taken into consideration and made into a goal of the union as a whole. Once the goals are made the representative reach out to the union and bring the matters to their attention. Collective bargaining is a procedure where the union that is working or representing the employees of the organization to negotiate contract and agreements with the employers. The negotiation is done to govern the terms of their employment with the organization, this includes things such as pay, benefits, hours, leave, job health and safety policies, ways to balance work and family, and much more. They use the method of bargaining to resolve any workplace disputes. (AFL-CIO)

According to the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations or (AFL-CIO), In the United States of America some three-quarters of private-sector workers and two-thirds of public organizations have the right to collective bargaining. This privilege was enforced by a sequence of regulations. The first regulation is the Railway Labor Act or RLA, which was passed in 1926. This act distinguishes the bargaining rights of both the railroad and the air company businesses. This act applies to rail and air carriers and their non-managerial employees. The railway labor act has a total of five main purposes. The determinations of this act were to, evade service disruptions, to eradicate restrictions on joining a union, to guarantee freedom for the members of staff in any matter of self-organizing, handle disputes and grievances settlement quickly. (Fossum, 2015, p.64)

The second regulations that enforced the right to collective bargaining are the National Labor Relations Act which was passed in 1935. The National Labor Relation Board regulates the bargaining unit proposed by the labor organization is appropriate by holding a ballot election. For a bargaining united to be considered applicable by the National Labor Relation Board or NLRB at least 30 percent of the employees must sign the authorization cards for the vote. As soon as majority of the employees votes to approve a union that union then bargains for every worker that is in the bargaining unit. The end result would be collective bargaining is established as the “policy of the United States.” The right to collective bargaining also is recognized by international human rights conventions. Every single year in the United States of America the nation’s workers negotiate or renegotiate their bartered agreements. (AFL-CIO)

Mexican organizations also have the right to have collective bargaining agreements or in this case also known as “protection contracts.” According to the Fair Labor Association or protection contracts “the practice of official unions or corrupt lawyers negotiating a union contract without the knowledge of workers – is a common practice endorsed by some companies operating in Mexico in order to limit workers’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining.” These contracts in Mexico only tend to exist on paper and the employees are unaware of the agreement, oblivious of their collective bargaining rights and are also intimidated by the union staff who is supposed to be protecting them by representing them which is the complete opposite of how the American union treat their members. (Fair Labor Association)

In conclusions, collective bargaining is the most important element of the labor union of both Mexico and the United States of America. It is a process that involves a group of individuals such as the personnel staff at the organization, ensembles together to increase their level of negotiating power with the company. The negotiation is done to oversee the terms and agreements of their employment with the organization, this includes things such as pay, benefits, hours, leave, job health and safety policies, and much more. The collective bargaining method is used resolve any workplace disputes.

References:

BusinessDictionary. (n.d.). What is a union? Retrieved August 12, 2017, from

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/union.html

Davoren, J. (n.d.). Labor Union Goals and Objectives. Retrieved August 13, 2017, from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/labor-union-goals-objectives-59462.html

Fair Labor Association. (2012, February 14). PROTECTING WORKERS’ RIGHTS TO FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION & COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IN MEXICO. Retrieved August 14, 2017, from http://www.fairlabor.org/blog/entry/protecting-workers%E2%80%99-rights-freedom-association-collective-bargaining-mexico

Fair Labor Association. (2015, March 11). PROTECTION CONTRACTS IN MEXICO. Retrieved August 14, 2017, from http://www.fairlabor.org/report/protection-contracts-mexico

Fossum, J. (2015). Labor Relations Development, Structure, and Process (12th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations. (n.d.). Collective Bargaining. Retrieved August 13, 2017, from https://aflcio.org/what-unions-do/empower-workers/collective-bargaining

The Utility Workers Union of America,. (n.d.). What are the Benefits of Being a Union Worker? Retrieved August 13, 2017, from http://uwua.net/what-are-the-benefits-of-being-a-union-worker