Decline of U.S. labor unions

Name

March 23, 2010

Bus 101

            The article is about the decline of the labor unions in the United States. In 1983 20.1% of wage and salaried workers belonged to unions in 2009 only 12.3% are in unions. Labor unions also show trends that mirror the changes in the U.S. workforce as a whole they are getting older and more diverse. Labors unions are not as popular as they once were with the U.S. workforce during a Gallup poll only forty-eight percent of people polled approved of labor unions which is the lost percentage ever. Also 51% of those polled believe unions mostly hut the economy and 39% believe they mostly help. People also do not believe unions are needed to protect them. Fewer people are in unions and most are satisfied with their job which could cause people to see unions as less necessary.

            The growing number of people who view unions as unnecessary could help make it much easier for companies to keep labor unions out of their business. As union members start to get older and retire and younger workers that are less likely to be loyal to a labor union start to enter into the workforce it creates an opportunity for managers to push labor unions out of their business making running the business easier and saving money. In the United States there is a greater focus on highly skilled workers and labor unions are needed less because these individuals can work out deals for benefits and compensation with the company directly. As America moves farther away from low skill labor the role that labor unions will play will also decrease. As labor unions become weaker managers may see opportunities in new markets that they were previously afraid to enter because the union held so much influence in the area.