Informative and Surprising Essay

Informative and Surprising Essay: Labor Unions in America
Name
Institution
Informative
In the United States of America, labor unions were formed due to the increasing torture and suppression of workers in various industrial sectors. However, the main reason for the formation of labor movements was to secure and protect the common interests of workers (Ness, 2005). Various representatives were selected for the purpose of agitating for the rights of workers and especially in matters relating to wages, overwork compensation, modification of favorable working hours as well as the improvement of their working conditions. Moreover, labor unions took the initiative of ensuring workers get health care as well as eliminating child labor.
In addition, the success of having labor movements was fueled by the efforts of some few people in the United States. They saw the importance of helping workers improve and advance as the world was turning to industrialization as well as trading activities. For instance, they would pressure the government on certain measures as well as presenting the grievances of workers (Ness, 2005). In some cases, they would lead demonstration when the government fails to honor their requests within the given time schedule. I would imagine how workers enjoyed a good time in their working environment. Moreover, they had peace and the economy was growing tremendously. Also, the relationship between workers and the employees was good as labor unions took the initiative of connecting the two for a mutual benefit.

However, before the implementation of the labor unions, various events took place. For instance, in 1768 there was a strike that was conducted following reduction of wages; it was tailored by New York journeymen. Therefore, Federal Society of Journeymen Cordwainers was the first labor union to be formed by the American workers. Afterwards, many unions were formed and hence having thousands of unions in all around the world. The United States workers enjoyed good wages, and all grievances that were aired to the government were addressed as quickly as possible.
Surprising
In the modern world, people have taken their interests first before even thinking of helping others. Currently, the same incidence has been seen in the America’s labor unions. In some cases, workers argue of how they have been hurt by unions. Rather than continuing with the same spirit of helping workers, the unions have taken the initiative of administering torture (Lee & Mas, 2009). I try to contemplate the whole idea in order to understand how one can be tortured by his/her own savior. It demoralizes the motivation of workers and hence making they feel less venerable. For instance, in the United States labor unions only address one issue and harden another one; they may consider increasing the wages that workers get and on the other hand increase the prices of various products. However, such adjustments have no impact on the lives of workers; furthermore, it indulges workers in more expenses.
Moreover, I feel the petty of most skilled personnel who live recklessly due to unemployment. All can be blamed on the labor unions. For instance, rather than working on expanding jobs in the market, they are trying to reduce employees in most industries so as to raise the wages of the existing workers. Currently, the main challenge to the economy in the United States is unemployment. The main question is how the government will handle the increasing number of graduates. In every year, the numbers of graduates increase to a certain percent and hence risking the economy.
References
Ness, I. (2005). Immigrants, unions, and the new U.S. labor market. Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
Lee, D. & Mas, A. (2009). Long-run impacts of unions on firm’s new evidence from financial markets, 1961-1999. Cambridge, Mass: National Bureau of Economic Research.