Labour Relations in the USA: A Study of Two Major Unions

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LABOUR RELATIONS
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The labour organisation in the USA represent millions of workers. The US
Department of labor’s Office of Labor-Management Standards is the one who is responsible
for enforcing as well as administering several provisions regarding the management of labor.
Many laws were devised to ensure fiscal responsibility and democratic standards in the labor
organisation that represented employees in a private industry (Blanton, Robert and Dursun).
It was the Congress who implemented National Labour Relations Act in 1935 to preserve and
protect the rights of employees as well as employers, to limit some of the practices in the
labour and management sector that would harm the welfare of the workers as well as the US
economy (Cowie). The essay aims to discuss two labour unions regarding their financial as
well as social status.
One such labour organisation in the USA is Service Employee International Union,
that has over two million workers who are united by a belief in the worth as well as dignity of
the workers. SEIU was established in 23rd April, 1921 in Chicago and aim to provide service
to the workers and improve their working condition along with their family members that
would create a just and equal society (Minchin). They divided the worker’s organisation into
three sectors such as health care, property services and public services. It has more than 150
local branches. To reflect its diversified membership the union in 1968 renamed it as SEIU.
The latter is statistically considered to be one of the most powerful and fastest growing union
in the USA (Minchin). They have kept growing because of the innovations as well as
transformations that they had included in their organisation. Its membership has increased

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from 1.2 million in 2002 to 2.2. million till date. They have also come up with a new proposal
that will unite the janitors with the security guard that will be dominated by African-
American labour force. Due to this move they have garnered a lot of attention from the public
(Kyoung).
The SEIU get their finances from SEIU benefit funds that ensures welfare and helath
benefits for their employees. Their financial reports consists of receipts as well as expenses of
that particular financial year. However the funds of SEIU are exhausting however its
financial conditions are still good. They organize their income statement as well as bank
balances. In future too they will work for the dignity of their workers as well as the services
that they provide. It also intends to improve the working condition of the workers as well as
their families that would create a humane society. One of the major issues faced by SEIU is
that their financial conditions have worsened (Ginder). The pension of the employees are also
at risk where the government has decided not to pay pension to the workers. The strategy of
the union has declined. If they are unable to build a political power to protect their jobs then
they hold the government responsible for these acts (Ginder). They also face a lot of
interference from political parties due to which they are unable to work efficiently.
On the other hand there is another union in the US with the name of United
Steelworkers where workers represent a diverse range of industries that includes primary as
well as fabricated materials, glass, paper, rubber, and other healthcare items. It also consists
of retired members of throughout the US, Canada and the Caribbean. They represent the
factory workers, municipal employees, nurses, firefighters, clerical and public utility workers
and also construction workers (Hoffman, Richard and Marvin). The United Steelworkers is
an excellent organisation that aims at serving their community as well as their members.
They offer competitive benefits, compensation as well as benefits. It is currently affiliated to
AFL-CIO in the US as well as Canadian Labour Congress in many union federations that are