Introduction to Labor
Studies
Introduction to Labor
Studies
University of Missouri, Spring Semester, 2005
9:00 am-4:00 pm, Saturdays,
January 22, February 5, 19, 26, April 2, 9, 23
Instructors: Donald Giljum & Dave Robertson
Here is a link to the questions for the first paper:
LaborStudiesQuestions.doc
Here is a link to a timeline of key U.S. Labor Legislation:
USlaborlegisaltion.html
Here are links to the readings for April 2:
(in addition to Why Unions Matter, ch 5)
Thoughts
on Defeating Right to Work
EPI's
Facts
about unemployment compensation / EPI's
Facts about the minimum wage
Recommended
additional reading: "Gumbo Politics"
Here are links to the readings for April 9:
Why Unions
are in Politics
The American Model of
Labor Market Policy
Labor Party
paper on Labor Law Reform & Workers Rights
4 newspaper articles:
Rosenthal /
Dine / Ganey
/ Sweeney
Here is a link to the reading for April
23: (in addition to Why Unions Matter, ch 4)
The
Inside Game
Here are two sites with discussions of the future of the labor movement:
The AFL-CIO's
"Strengthening
Our Union Movement for the Future" site / UNITE's "Unite
to Win" site
| Donald Giljum | Dave Robertson |
| Office Phone: 618-271-1807 ext. 12 | Office Phone: 314-516-5855 |
| Office Fax: 618-345-0035 | Office Fax: 314-516-7236 |
| E-mail: dongiljum@aol.com | E-mail: daverobertson@umsl.edu |
| Home Phone: 636-464-9184 | Home Phone: 314-994-0074 |
| Cell Phone: 618-974-8645 | Cell Phone: 314-954-1039 |
Course Description:
Why do unions matter? Unions play a vital role in our individual lives and in our communities, our states and our nation. They help ensure better incomes, job security and individual productivity. Unions are an important part of the economy and the political system. They influence government policies, unemployment and economic growth, racial and gender equality, social security, health and job safety, energy and the environment, and even foreign relations. They have made major contributions to the most important social movements in American history. Introduction to Labor Studies covers these topics from a labor perspective. It examines the role of workers in current and future times, unions’ institutional structure, collective bargaining strategies and obstacles for union organizing, recent union campaigns, labor’s political role, and the relationship between labor and the media.
Textbook & readings required:
Michael D. Yates, Why Unions Matter (Monthly Review Press)
Selected Handouts
Grading:
There are 500 total points in the course. Participation is worth up to 100 points. The media booklet, due April 23, is worth up to 100 points. Each of the three papers (due February 19, April 12, and May 1) is worth 100 points.
Students may receive plus and minus grades depending on effort invested in the course. S
Students are not in competition with each other for grades; There is
no curve in this course. Each student can get an A, or can get a D. It's
up to you.
COURSE SCHEDULE
January 22 Class #1 Introductions; Orientation and overview of
the course
Historical overview of the
development of labor unions.
American Public opinion and labor
unions
General discussion regarding
today’s unions.
The structure of the AFL-CIO.
February 5 Class #2 Overview of the legal framework affecting the
rights of workers, unions and employers
Comparative labor movements
Labor and the community/
coalition building.
Guest Speakers
READ:
Why Unions Matter, Intro, chapters 1, 2, 3, 6 & 7
February 19 Class #3 Organizing: the past, present and future
Guest Speakers
Movies
READ: Jobs With Justice:
JWJ Mission Statement &
Background Information
Handouts: Florida’s
Fight Against Worker Abuse
The
Community-Labor Alliance of New Haven
PAPER 1 DUE AT CLASS
February 26 Class #4
Labor and the
media.
Guest speakers
Movie
READ: Guide for Editorial Board
Visits
"Building Bridges"
April 2 Class #5 Labor and the economic system
Guest speakers
Movie AFL-CIO 2000 in 2000
campaign
READ:
Why Unions Matter, Chapter 5
Handouts: "Thoughts
on Defeating Right to Work"
EPI's
Facts about unemployment compensation
EPI's
Facts about the minimum wage
Recommended extra reading: "Gumbo
Politics"
PAPER 2 DUE AT CLASS
April 9 Class #6 Labor and Politics
Comparative Labor Policy
Guest Speakers
Movie
READ:
"Why Unions
are in Politics"
"The American Model of
Labor Market Policy"
Labor Party
paper on Labor Law Reform & Workers Rights
4 newspaper articles:
Rosenthal /
Dine / Ganey
/ Sweeney
April 23 Class #7 The Collective Bargaining Process.
Negotiating the bargaining agreement.
Traditional bargaining vs. Interest
Based bargaining.
The bargaining campaign.
Administering the collective
bargaining agreement.
The grievance and arbitration
process.
Methods of alternative dispute
resolution.
Movie
Wrap up discussion and student
evaluation of course and instructors.
READ: Why Unions Matter,
Chapter 4
The Inside Game:
Winning with workplace strategies
MEDIA BOOKLET DUE AT CLASS
May 3 (Monday)
PAPER
3 DUE
COURSE PROJECT & ASSIGNMENTS
The Media Booklet
Each
student is responsible for maintaining a media booklet, which will be due the
last day of class, April 23rd.
Throughout the semester, collect at least 10 articles regarding the labor
movement that appear in any newspapers, or magazines, and cut them out and
insert them in your media booklet. Then, you should write a few sentences
summarizing the article, and with each article, state your opinion as to whether
the writer gave a fair account of that which is being reported and whether or
not the article shows labor in a favorable or unfavorable light.
When you have finished collecting articles,
answer the following questions:
(1) Based on the articles you collected and summarized, does the media
report on labor union involvement
in cooperative ventures or in situations involving conflict?
(2) Is the reporting balanced and fair?
(3) Is the unon and or its members cast in a positive light or negative
light versus the employer or management?
(4) Do you believe the media coverage given labor unions and their members
cause workers to view unions in a
positive or negative light and do you believe it either encourages or
discourages workers in joining or organizing unions?
The media booklet is worth 100 points.
The Papers
There will
be three papers required for this course. Each paper is worth 100 points.
PAPER 1 (Due February 19)
For the first paper, you should prepare interview questions for each of these
three kinds of people, and then
(1) interview a student, 18-22 years old with no union background;
(2) interview a person aged 30-50 with no union background
(3) interview a union member
And then write a paper that answers the following questions:
(1) based on the responses in the interviews of each, what do you believe the
prospect of future growth looks like for the labor movement?
(2) What is it going to take to convince younger, future workers that belonging
to and supporting a union's organizing effort is in their best socio-economic
interest?
(3) What do unions have to do to strengthen their existing ranks and solidify
the current union members' support for the labor movement?
(4) Discuss why workers reject the notion of belonging to the union
Your paper should include the questions you asked, the answers you received, and your analysis of the answers. What do these answers tell you about the prospects and strategies for unions today? What information did you communicate to the interviewees about unions?
PAPER 2 (Due April 2)
The second paper will be on the political process. The AFL-CIO has historically
followed a political course that calls for supporting its political friends and
defeating its political enemies. Therefore, it has refused to become an
official or integral part of either the Democratic or Republican Parties. It
has also declined to develop its own political party. However, some within the
Labor Movement believe that to continue to support the two existing parties will
only lead to further decline of the U.S. Labor Movement. Therefore, these
unions have formed the Labor Party. Discuss fully the pros and cons of
continuing with the current AFL-CIO political strategy and forming a Labor
Party. Which in your opinion better serves the interest of the Labor Movement?
Fully explain your reasoning.
PAPER 3 (Due May 1)
The third paper will be to compare and contrast the traditional arms length
bargaining method to the interest based or win-win bargaining method. Do you
believe one method provides better out comes than the other? Why or Why not?
Labor History