Labor movements are unions that are formed to address the problems and challenges that face workers in their working environment such as reasonable working hours, safety in the working environment, better wages and salaries and also stop child labor. The movement also ensured that workers who got injured in their working environment and those who retired were compensated. Labor movements have changed over the years ad their purposes have also evolved. In the early years labor movement were male dominated but over the years women have also been involved in the labor movements and women’s movement groups have been formed. Labor movements have also been more aggressive in fighting for their rights than before. The labor movements have also extended the idea of extending civil society and politics into workplaces. They have also moved to ensure the consolidation of workers income and also ensure liberty, freedom and democracy. There has been an increase in the number of people who are joining labor unions (Labor movements). Human labor has stopped being treated as slavery and is now appreciated by the employers. Like in the inheritance where the elders and uncles describe how agreements were made to sacrifice family members in order to ensure that the family grows academically and financially. This shows the extent which sacrifices were made.
The most appropriate school of thought is the school of industrial relations which could involve governance via government regulations or collective bargaining. The role of the labour movements in industrial relations is to ensure that rules, laws and norms in the industries are followed. Industrial relations result to a decline in the industrial unrest. Industrial relations shape up the working life of workers. The labor movements ensure that the employers treat the employees in accordance to the law. The movements are also concerned with the minimum living wage, rights of the individual worker, equity in the opportunities available, and also the balance of work-life (Stiftung 21-29).
The inheritance describes briefly the labor history while putting more emphasis on the creation of the amalgamated clothing workers. It starts with the theme, “in the old country I was treated like an animal,” says one man. This shows the inhuman treatment that was experienced by the workers. The film reminds the workers’ on the need to organize themselves as one of the strongest and oldest aspect of history. The film has major names in the labor history of people who defended workers. The role of involvement of the movement in the minimum wage is seen in the film where after a series of many strikes, death of protestors and beating of workers, the maximum working hours and the minimum wage of workers were made law (Chrystal 8,24,37). The union fought for the rights of the workers and was successful. This enhanced industrial relations. The role of labor movement is clearly seen.
The inheritance is carrying on of traits from one generation to another. The traits may change but they are passed on. From the movie the formation of labor movement is made continuous up to the recent years where we still have labor movements which are very influential. The film explores the textile mills filled with children and the labor’s struggle for the rights of the workers. The inheritance film is a well created documentary that brings out the role of the labor movement in the industry. It also shows the industrial relations role.
Works cited
Stiftung, Rosa. trade unions and industrial relations. 1. Ghana: 2011. 21-29. Web. <http://www.ghanatuc.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Labour-relations.pdf>.
“Labor Movement.” 2014. The History Channel website. Jan 18 2014, 3:03 http://www.history.com/topics/labor.
Chrystal, Jordan. "a review of contemporary media." Jump cut. 22. (1980): 8,24,37. Print. <http://www.ejumpcut.org/archive/onlinessays/JC22folder/JPStevensFilms.html
