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AndreaMurillo
Mr.Marshall
GovernmentBlockB
CivicLiteracyResearchPaper
March1,2015
ToBeorNotToBe:LaborUnions
Fairwages!Sickleave!Respect!ThesewordsechoedthroughouttheparkinglotofEl
Super,asupermarketstorewhereunionworkersandemployeeslaunchedaboycottofthe
Mexicanownedcompany.Theaffordableneighborhoodmarketoffersunbeatabledealsranging
fromapoundofseedlessgrapesforseventyfivecentstomediumeggsforninetyninecentsa
dozen.Itsapopularchoiceforshoppers(Lopez)andaccordingtoForbes,AlfredoChedraui
Obeso,thechainsheadhasbecomeabillionaire,butnotbythesuccessofthestore.Theyre
doingitonthebacksoftheworkers,saidRigoValdez,theunionsvicepresident.The
employeesatsupermarketstoresareonlyoneprimeofexampleoftheutilizationofunions.For
thelasttwocenturies,workersofalltradeshavebeenfightingforrightsandseekingtoimprove
livingstandards,workconditions,andjobsecurity.Asoureconomyandwayoflifeprogressed,
individualsrecognizedthatbycomingtogetherandworkingcollectively,theywouldgrow
strongerandreceivearesponsetotheirdemands.Thisinspirationdevelopedintowhattheworld
knowsaslaborunions.Alaborunionisanorganizedassociationofworkersformedtoprotect
andfurthertheirrightsandinterests.Inthiscase,whosepurposeistoincreasehourlywages,
demandsickleave,andinfluenceotherjobconditionsforitsmembers(Clay).Laborunionsare

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acontinuednecessityintodaysworld.Theyaremodeledtobringattentiontotheneedofthe
commongood,workingconditions,andtheimprovementofourcommunity.
Overtheyears,thelaborunionmovementhasshapedthewayindividualsworkandlive.
Formanypeople,itisadefensemechanismandawaytoensuretheircivilliberties.Theyneed
tomakecertaintheyareprotectedagainstwhattheyseeasarbitrarydecisions,suchaswagecuts,
layoffs,orfirings(Domhoff).Aftertenyearsasacheckoutclerk,JulietOrdenezmakes$9.50an
hourandcannotfeedherfamilywithoutfoodhandoutsfromherchurch.Thereisnological
explanationastowhytheheadofthesupermarketchainisabillionaireandasinglemother
workingtosupportherfamilydoesnotearnenough.Theresnoreasonthesejobshavetobe
lowwagejobs(Lopez).Onthesamenote,peoplearenotpromptedwiththeopportunitytotake
sickleaveeither.Theycometoworkeveryday,becausethatiswhattheyhavetodotosurvive,
andtheirillnessistheleastoftheirconcernatthemoment.Hundredsofthousandsofworking
Americansareatorbelowthestandardpovertyline.Theycannotaffordtogetsick,andthey
cannotaffordhealthcare.Highunemploymentandageneraljobshortagekeeppeoplestuckfor
yearsinwhatoncewasconsideredanentrylevelposition,saysGaryToebben,headofL.A.s
AreaChamberofCommerce.Heproposesthattheonlywayoutofthisistoproduceabetter
educatedworkforceandbuildamorecompetitiveeconomy.Unionshavepavedthewayfor
millionsofAmericanworkerstoreceivebenefitssuchashealthcareandpaidsickleave.Union
workersearnsignificantlymoreonaveragethantheirnonunioncounterparts,andunion
employersaremorelikelytoprovidethesebenefits(Madland).Thiscyclecontinueswhennon
unionworkerswanttoavoidunionization;theygiveintothesamefinancialbenefitsfortheir

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employees.Thissystemgivesallworkersanequalopportunitytoensurethatwhattheyare
receivingiswhattheydeserve.
However,somebelievethatunioninfluencehascreatedapowerstrugglebetween
managementandunionleaders.Somecitizensinsistthatalthoughunionsemployworkersto
cometogetherandagreeonfundamentalworkingobjectives,theyaresimplyaproblemforthe
endeavorofprogression.Thenatureofeconomyisalwayschanging.Therefore,therewill
alwaysbeadegreeofdissatisfactionandconflictbetweenemployersandemployees.These
conflictscanmanifestthemselvesintoarangeofprotests,strikesandboycotts;escalatinginto
pressureoncongressandvotingpreferences(Domhoff).Ifbusinessownersaregoingto
competesuccessfullyinaneconomy,thentheyneedagreatdealofflexibilityincuttingwages,
hiringandfiring,andaddingextrahoursofworkortrimmingbackworkhourswhenneeded.
Wagesandsalariesareaverybigpartoftheirovercallcosts,maybeasmuchaseightypercent
inmanyindustries.(Domhoff)Thismeansthateventhoughbusinessisgoingwell,ownersare
goingtodowhateverittakestokeeptheirprofitshigh,evenifitmeansholdingthebaron
wages.RobertBarro,aneconomicsprofessoratHarvardUniversity,believesthatpublic
employeeunionsrestrictworkersrighttoworkandalsoharmtaxpayers.Hearguesthatpublic
employeeshavegainedexcessivebenefitsandthatthosesamebenefitsshouldberolledback.
Healsoaddsthatcollectivebargainingrightsforunionsshouldbeeliminated.Hebelieveshis
solutiontoeliminateunionsandcollectivebargainingaltogether,willpavewaytohisideathat
thesepracticesaremoresimilartoanantitrustviolationratherthanacivilliberty.(Berlatsky)
AfterreviewingmanycasesofhardshipsamongtheElsuperemployees,andresearching
bothsidesoftheargument,Ihavecometotheconclusionthatunionsarestillavitalpartofthe

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workforce.Theybringattentiontowhatproblemsneedtobeaddressedandneeded.Withoutthe
recentboycottofasupermarketinmycommunity,Iwouldhaveneverrealizedwhatsome
familiesfaceandwhatmyrolecouldbeinthissamestruggle.Ithinkbringingmoreattentionto
thisissueisimportantforotherstosee.Maybethepressureofthousandsofpeoplecoming
togethercouldchangethemindsofthosewhobelievetheircompanyorenterpriseiscompetent.
LydiaFloreshasahealthcareplan,butavoidsthedoctorbecauseshecannotaffordthe
copaysandfiguresherautisticsonneedstheirscanthealthcaredollarsmorethanshedoes.
(Lopez)Idontthinkthereshouldbeastandardpayforeveryone;itdoesnotseemfair.A
woman,whoisworkingtomaintainherfamilyoffour,needsmoreincomethanasinglewoman
workingparttime.Citizensarebelowthepovertyline,andIthinkthatshouldbetakeninto
considerationwhenadjustingwages.Althoughitmaytakemoretime,alteringapersonsincome
basedontheirnecessitiesandsituationwouldbethebestbetforausefulplan.Theobjective
wouldbetolocatewherethepersonisworkingandwhattheirsituationis.Then,decidehow
muchtheyneedtocontributetotheirjobandwhathourswouldbeenoughtoearnthatmuchfor
them.Byusingthisplan,ourcommunitycouldbeinbettershape;therewouldbelessanxiety
overstrugglingtopayrentorbills,andlesscrimeratebecausepeoplewouldnotbepromptedto
steal.Itsanoverallbetteradvancementforeveryone.Therewouldbemorejobsopentomore
people,andthosesamepeoplewhonowhavebetterwagescaneducatethemselvestocreatetheir
ownbusinesses.Thisplanwillprovideeveryonewiththeopportunitytoprogressandmake
roomforchange.

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WorksCited

Berlatsky,Noah."Viewpoint3:IntheUnitedSates,CollectiveBargainingHarms

WorkersandTaxpayers."Workers'Rights.Detroit:Greenhaven,2012.77
82.Print.

Clay,Joanna."ElSuperBoycottKicksoffasUnion,WorkersSeekBetter
Benefits."TheOrangeCountyRegister.TheO.C.Register,8Jan.2015.
Web.08Mar.2015.
Domhoff,WilliamG."TheRiseandFallofLaborUnionsintheU.S."WhoRules
America.AdamSchneider,5May2013.Web.08Mar.2015.
Lopez,Steve."ElSuperEmployeesWantFairWages,SickLeaveandRespect."
LosAngelesTimes.LosAngelesTimes,02Nov.2013.Web.08Mar.2015.
Madland,David."UnionsAreGoodfortheAmericanEconomy."Centerfor
AmericanProgressActionFund.KarlaWalter,18Feb.2009.Web.08Mar.
2015.
Parsons,Christi."ObamaPushesPaidSick/familyLeaveforWorkers."Los

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AngelesTimes.LosAngelesTimes,15Jan.2015.Web.08Mar.2015.