RESPONSE TO JULIE KENYON
Response to Julie Kenyon
The industrial revolution has indeed brought with it the rise of the labor unions. The voice of one worker alone would simply die down and his complaints cannot be heard. However, if he and his fellow workers organize themselves, they could better bargain for acceptable working conditions and compensation. As Julie stated, most companies felt that National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) practice was “unconstitutional and socialistic”. Their reaction is expected since they believe that giving higher wages to the workers would mean lower profit.
Aside from The Wagner Act which guarantees the basic rights of the private sector employees, another important government agency that protects workers’ rights is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The organization is specifically concerned about the assurance that workers have a safe and healthful working conditions.
It is unfortunate that Julie works with a company which does not allow them to form a union. But Julie should realize that there are options which she and her co-workers can do to improve their work conditions. First of all, they should realize that it is unlawful for their company to prevent them from forming a union. The NLRB can assist them whether they have a union or not. Any violations committed by the employer may be reported to the NLRB.
I agree with Julie that if there is no smooth labor relations within a company, the rapport between management and the workers will be very low. In addition, having a low rapport would eventually lead to a high turnover among the employees and may result in low productivity. The tension between management and the employees should be minimized or even eliminated in order for the workers to love their jobs; thus, increasing productivity and profitability.
References
National Labor Relations Board. (n.d.). Employee rights. Retrieved from National Labor Relations Board: https://www.nlrb.gov/rights-we-protect/employee-rights
United States Department of Labor. (n.d.). About OSHA. Retrieved from Occupational Safety and Health Administration: https://www.osha.gov/about.html
