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Memorandum

To: Professor Enos


From: Kevin Hartman
Subject: Unit 2 Memo
Date: February 17, 2016
Rhetorical Situation
For my Unit 3 essay I plan on exploring the presence of unions in the construction industry and the
conflict surrounding them. I also plan on attempting to find a middle ground between the pro-union and
anti-union arguments to find an agreeable solution for both camps. This essay will be an expansion upon
ideas explored in my Unit 1 essay. To add more substance to this essay I plan on adding more historical
context, some personal experience, and taking a position on the issue. I feel adding historical context
will give the reader a better background of why unions came to be and the good they have done for the
working class. This historical context will also allow comparison of the working conditions of today to the
working conditions in the early 1900s. Although anecdotal evidence is not necessarily the strongest
form of argument, I do feel bringing personal experience Ive had would add to the paper as well.
Personal experience would help show the reader why this issue is important to people in the field. At
this point in time, I plan on taking a relatively pro-union stance. That being said, I will still address
arguments on the other side of the issue and hopefully come to a compromise which both sides could
agree upon.

Genre
I believe for this type of document, a scholarly essay is most appropriate. A scholarly essay would allow
me to pick apart the argument while also leaving me room to insert my opinion. Other genres, such as
reports, propose solutions to problems in a more scientific manner. A scholarly essay in will be the best
way to dissect an argument with very strong opinions on either side of the argument. The scholarly
essay will be directed at people working in the construction industry.

Audience
This audience is a mixed bunch, ranging from general contractor project managers to iron workers.
These two people likely would have very different opinions on the subject and thus I will need to be
respectful of all opinions, even if I do take a side on the issue.

Thesis/Purpose
Through this document, I hope to give the reader a deep understanding of unions and the controversy
surrounding them. I also hope to show the reader both sides of the argument in a professional manner,
allowing them to see why unions remain a topic of debate which would hopefully lead to compromise in
the industry. From my experience on my last coop, I can tell many people have very strong feelings on
this particular issue. When people have very strong feelings about a subject, compromise is usually
incredibly difficult. I feel that if this issue is not addressed and compromise is not reached then both
sides may begin harboring animosity towards the other side. That being said, I still plan on taking a prounion stance in essay.

Motive
I believe the audience will need to read my document because it will help people on both sides of the
issue reach an understanding of the other sides position. Many times people (not just in the
construction industry) will reach a conclusion about a particular issue and not bother thinking critically
about it. They will get emotionally invested in the issue and begin to take any criticism from the other
side as a personal attack on them. Hopefully this paper will be able to respectfully explore the matter
which will allow the readers to appreciate both sides of the issue without becoming defensive of their
position on the issue.

Tentative Outline
1. Introduction to topic
a. Briefly introduce how unions came to be and their purpose
2. Begin discussing arguments on both sides of issue (utilize appropriate sources)
a. Talk of wage inequality and how unions counteract it
b. Speak of corruption in unions
c. Talk of effect on non-union workers
3. Propose solution to remedy issues on both sides
a. Will include keeping unions around but maybe adding more regulations
4. Conclude argument while explaining present day issues
a. Will use additional sources to find out some modern issues in the field

Annotated Bibliography
Unions, Norms, and the Rise in U.S. Wage Inequality
In order to effectively write this essay, I will be utilizing two articles and one scholarly essay. The
scholarly essay will be the same one I used in Unit 1, Unions, Norms, and the Rise in U.S. Wage
Inequality by Western and Rosenfeld. This essay explores the relationship between wage inequality and
the downward trend of unionization occurring over the past few decades. This essay is helpful because it
shows the direct correlation between unions and wage inequality, an extremely large issue facing
Americans today. This essay will help prove that unions can be used as a force for good in the workplace
as they can help drive up wages for the working-class person. It is very useful that this is a scholarly
essay because the validity of its statements have all been peer reviewed and it is safe to assume the
author has no bias.

Scandals Affirm New York as Union Corruption Capital


The next article which I plan to use is an article from the New York Times titled, Scandals Affirm New
York as Union Corruption Capital by Steven Greenhouse. The article highlights some issues with union
corruption that New York had faced, including extortion of millions by a plumbers union. The article also
points out an outrageously high $1.5 million dollar salary for Gus Bevona, a leader of the janitors union.
This article will help to show that although unions can utilized for good, there is also the opportunity for
someone to abuse the system. Corruption is certainly one of the reasons anti-union supporters feel the
way they do, so showing some historical examples of corruption will create a more accurate picture of
the discussion as a whole for the reader.

Strong Unions, Strong Democracy


The final article I plan on using is also from the New York Times, titled Strong Unions, Strong
Democracy by Richard Kahlenberg. This article speaks mostly to a Supreme Court case which is about to
be heard, Friedrichs vs. California Teachers Association. The case concerns a non-union member,
Rebecca Friedrichs, who has not paid her union fees the past couple years. Her argument is that because
she does not agree with the politics of unions and is not in one, she feels she should not have to pay
union fees. Others argue that because she benefits from the higher wages and better benefits she
receives due to unions, she should have to pay her fee. The author goes on to explain why he feels
unions are essential to democracy, citing historical examples and quotes from former presidents. This
essay works well in tying together the essay as it shows why the essay I am writing is important and
timely.

Works Cited

Western, Bruce, and Jake Rosenfeld. Unions, Norms, and the Rise in U.S. Wage Inequality. American
Sociological Review (2011): 1-25. Sage Journals. Web. 25 Feb. 2016.
Greenhouse, Steven. "Scandals Affirm New York As Union Corruption Capital." The New York Times. The
New York Times, 14 Feb. 1999. Web. 17 Feb. 2016.
Kahlenberg, Richard. "Strong Unions, Strong Democracy." The New York Times. The New York Times, 11
Jan. 2016. Web. 17 Feb. 2016.

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