Are Unions Still Necessary?

Labor Unions

The National Labor Union was one of the 
first labor union organizations.

 

Labor unions are an organized association of workers, often in a trade or profession, formed to protect and further their rights and interests. Labor unions have been caught up in the argument on whether we should still keep them or let them be terminated. Many have argued the pros and cons of having labor unions.

The Obama administration is showing
support for labor unions.

Some people argue that labor unions benefit workers in the United States overall. John McCain, the United States senator stated, "I think the unions have played a very important role in the history of this country to improve the plight and conditions of laboring Americans. I think that like many other monopolies, in some cases [there] have been serious excesses." This quote from John tells us that laboring unions have had a good impact on workers and it helped them to protect their rights.  Cynthia McKinney who is a former U.S. house representative states, "Yes. The rights of workers to organize and form unions is an important right essential to protecting adequate wages, worker safety and health, and job security. Through proposed legislation that would undercut job training and apprenticeship, remove rights to organize and collectively bargain, and restrict union speech activities, efforts continue to rescind and restrict traditional rights of workers. I oppose these and other efforts to roll back the existing rights of workers, and I will continue to protect the necessary ability of workers to organize and strive towards better wages, benefits, working conditions and training."  With this, it is telling us that labor unions have led people to a  better life and it lets them have their rights, and a safer environment. The labor unions allow workers to get a good payment and be more safe at their jobs. Without labor unions, people wouldn't be able to have good income or have their own rights. They would not be able to speak up and they wouldn't have a good safe working place with good conditions. All of these things will cut back if labor unions were demolished. Labor Unions bring a great amount of benefits for American workers. If it weren't for these labor unions, people's wages would be low and it would be insufficient for anything. Barack Obama once stated, "...[A]s I look out on this crowd and as I travel across this country, the one thing I know for certain is that labor unions are still mobilizing. Labor unions are still organizing. And you're still fighting to give America's working people a voice in Washington. I'm tired of playing defense. I know the AFL-CIO [American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organization] is tired of playing defense. We're ready to play some offense. We're ready to play offense for a decent wage. We're ready to play offense for retirement security...We're ready to play offense for organized labor. It's time we had a President who didn't choke saying the word 'union.' A President who knows it's the Department of Labor and not the Department of Management. And a President who strengthens our unions by letting them do what they do best - organize our workers. If a majority of workers want a union, they should get a union." This also supports labor unions. From this we can see that labor unions do benefit American workers because without labor unions, the people will not have wages that they deserve or the rights that they deserve. Labor unions allow the people to have better job security and people should have the right to create these organized unions. Labor unions have their pros as well as cons. (1)(2)

      Some of the cons of having labor unions are holiday pays, eight hour workdays, and overtime pay. During holidays, there would be no work or job for the teachers so they wouldn't be able to earn any money for a good week or more. In addition to that, we have many holidays like this. For example, Spring Break, Winter Break, Mid-Winter Break, Thanksgiving, and etc. All of these holidays lets the teachers just stay at home with no payment. This is a major letdown if you need urgent money, you wouldn't be able to gain it and it leads the students to have less education because of it. Students only have five days of school and they have holidays almost every month so there isn't a long period of teaching. The problem with the eight hour workday comes for workers who are in the middle of an important piece of work or project. They will have to stop working and pick it up the next day just because their working hours are up. This will interrupt their process and it delays everything as well as productivity. The eight hour work hour backfires because if you were on a urgent important mission and you were only allowed a certain amount of time to do it, it will hold you back from doing more things and this prevents you from being as successful as you would want to be. In a union controlled business, there will always be a limited amount of working hours and this limits a lot of work to be done and delays processes that can make people unsatisfied at the results. You can't even argue that overtime will boost productivity. If businesses don't have enough money to pay someone to work overtime then most teachers aren't going to do overtime occasionally though you will have the few teachers that genuinely care for their students. If students were in need of urgent help and needed teachers to tutor them, there won't  be any because there wouldn't be enough money to pay teachers for this. This will effect the learning and education of students and make the students have a hard time with their school work and their grades will drop. This will also have an effect on the school's publicity. Nowadays, there isn't even summer school for students because there isn't enough money to pay the teachers for teaching during the summer so options for struggling students are decreasing. The graduation rates are declining due to the lack of money allocated to rewarding teachers for working overtime. (3)

      In conclusion, my opinion is that labor unions should cease to exist because they are causing harm for innocent people out there. It allows the workers to gain benefits and abuse the system; how many people do you think are abusing food stamps at this moment? You have to wonder just how many teachers are really willing to stay behind and tutor students out of the kindness of their hearts when there's no benefits, obviously greedy selfish humans will not do something they see no benefit from. Students don't have as many resources as before I mean really how do you expect the poverty-stricken families across America to afford a tutor. Students shouldn't have to face so many struggles in the already corrupt education system. In addition to that, the eight-hour workday promotes inefficiency. It disrupts workers from being productive seeing as some people just count the time till their next break. Workers don't require distractions like this that take them away from their work, this is especially bad for those who get in the "zone" and then are taken out of it due to some random scheduled break, their efficiency is utterly demolished. An exceptional successful business company will not allow or appreciate this inefficient way of doing things. Therefore, labor unions aren't doing as much as they once had. It is only a certain amount of people that profit from this. What occurred in the past will repeat itself in the future thus is the nature of history and why we study it to try and avoid this ill fate. This all leads to inefficiency, and political corruption. (3)

Resources:
1. http://2008election.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=1944#nader
2. http://www1.cs.columbia.edu/~unger/articles/unions.html
3. http://www.redstate.com/diary/chicagobluesgirl/2012/06/02/why-unions-are-no-longer-good-for-america/

Hitler And The World

Hitler and the World

Berlin, Germany, November 19, 1932.
The crowd cheers on Hitler as he makes
his way up.

Many people are wondering how Hitler rose to power. They wonder who would want to support a vicious evil person like this. Hitler's rise to power had four major reasons. Hitler's rise to power was based upon long-term factors. These factors were long term bitterness, weak constitution, propaganda, and money. Deep anger about the First World War and the Treaty of Versailles created an underlying bitterness to which Hitler’s viciousness and expansionism appealed, so they gave him support. In addition to that, Nazi propaganda persuaded the German masses to believe that the Jews were to blame and that Hitler was their last hope so they supported him. Also, weaknesses in the Constitution crippled the government, leading to Hitler's advantage. In fact, there were many people in Germany who wanted a return to dictatorship. When the crisis came in 1929–1933, there was no way to fight to stop Hitler. Lastly, the most important reason was money. The financial support of wealthy businessmen gave Hitler the money to run his propaganda and election campaigns which was a major factor for him gaining his power. *(1)(2)
    

This poster of 1932 says: ‘Hitler – our last hope’

     In my opinion, the most important reason to Hitler's rise to power is the fact that the Weimar  Republic also known as their government was weak. This gave Hitler advantages to become the new leader. If the government had been steady and strong, then the Germans would have confidence in it and not have turned to Hitler for guidance. The reason that the Germans had turned to Hitler was because they had thought the government was no use and thought Hitler was their only hope and can save them.  In addition to that, Germany wanted to return to dictatorship because they had no hope and faith in their current government. They believed in Hitler's words and promises because Hitler was a brilliant speaker so he has had an influential power over people. *(1)(3)

      Hitler rose to power also due to another important reason. Hitler had set up a group called the stormtroopers that would protect his political meetings from attacks by rivals. They would attack Jews and everyone that opposed Hitler. Many opponents kept quiet simply because they were scared of being murdered and if they were, the judges simply let the Stormtroopers go free. *(4)

Adolf Hitler mingles with Nazi storm troopers.

   I think that opponents of Hitler shouldn't have kept quiet about the stormtroopers because if they were to sacrifice themselves and spread word out about them, the stormtroopers can be stopped and also the judges should have been replaced by more bold, courageous and righteous people rather than people who are afraid of Hitler or on Hitler's side. So, in my opinion the most important reason to Hitler's rise in power is the weak government that they had that led the Germans to doubt and supported Hitler out of desperation. *(1)(3)


Resources:
1. http://www.ushmm.org/outreach/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007671
2. http://history1900s.about.com/od/worldwari/p/Versailles-Treaty.htm
3.http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/germany/hitlerpowerrev1.shtml
4. http://www.historyonthenet.com/Nazi_Germany/stormtroopers.htm

Is War Inevitable?

Is War Inevitable?

War has it's good points as well as bad points.

      

War was being fought for
 freedom and power.

     Some people say that war is inevitable.  They say this because as humans and like any living creature, we have the instincts to survive. Charles Darwin studied natural selection which created the belief of Darwinism, survival of the fittest. Humans would need to become strong and willing to protect themselves to survive. Conflicts between humans, usually countries, cause these wars as one side doesn't agree with the other or to fight for more due to greed or self defense. Wars are usually caused by the human instincts of wanting to be more powerful or to fight for existence. Even if war is not in every persons nature it will always be in the majority. War is everywhere on earth whether it comes to actual war or just conflict it will never vanish because part of human nature is to want power and control. War is the ultimate tool to obtain these goals, primarily over those who would resist. (4)

Andrew Bonar Law says that war isn't inevitable.

    While some say war is inevitable, others say the opposite. War is actually not inevitable because due to human nature, war is not in our genes. War is created based on their culture to decide how best to deal with other groups of people. Most people turn to war because they feel the need to protect those close to home. In addition to that, each society's values, size, resources, and so on decide whether they participate in war. (1)(2)(3)

    In my opinion, I think that war is not inevitable. I think this because we can always work things out. War is not necessary because we can always work things out with other countries. We can make peace treaties and compromise, and become good friends. War isn't necessary because it just leads people to get hurt and a lot of innocent people die because of wars. It also takes a great abundance of money for war and after wars, countries become poor and will eventually have to go to great lengths to earn money again. This is when they start taxing the people unfairly and this makes the country's people suffer due to the government's decisions of involving in wars. In addition to that, many countries create wars rationally without the intention to try to work things out. In my opinion, I think that hearing each other's thoughts and respecting each country and becoming allies and friends instead of foes is better because that way you can help each other out if you need something and this is helping out the world as a whole. (1)(2)(3)

Resources: 

1.http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/crux/2012/07/05/war-has-deep-roots-in-human-nature-but-its-not-inevitable/#.UzReVPm-2So

2. http://www.worldbeyondwar.org/inevitable/
3. http://socialistworker.org/blog/critical-reading/2013/07/20/study-war-not-due-human-nature
4. https://www.wnyc.org/crowdsourcing/war-inevitable/report/1/

Industrialization Through Today's Eyes

     Industrialization Through Today's Eyes

             

The Industrial Revolution was
full of changes.

        
         The Industrial Revolution is the period of time from the 18th to 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a massive effect on the socioeconomic and cultural conditions that spread throughout the world. How did climate change impact the Industrial Revolution that brought about benefits to the people that impacted history? (1)

Transportation like trains
were created for more convenience.

The Industrial Revolution created changes that
benefited us as well as harmed us.

       After the Industrial Revolution, there was noticeable benefits that have spread throughout the world. People didn't need to be farmers anymore and rely on crops to be successful, they now can work in factories since factories can use workers that don't have much skills. Men didn't have to only be farmers because they can develop capabilities in other areas other than farming. People can get more jobs from the Industrial Revolution. In addition to that, the prices of products went down because many things were mass produced. Mass production led to international trade so they earned more money through this. This economic growth led the country to expand globally. Technology like transportation led people to be able top travel and trade with others much more efficiently. Also, communications and mechanized goods made it easier for people to live and made life more comfortable. In addition to that, another benefit of the Industrial revolution is that people in the urban areas and the rural areas had to depend on one another so there won't be any isolation. Furthermore, this brought countries and people together because one country's influence spread to other countries. However, benefits come with costs. (2)

Tenements on the Lower East Side of New York
in the 1880s.

      The costs of the industrial revolution is that woman and child labor has been used and taken advantage of to work in factories and they suffered from long working hours, low wages and the dangerous environment of the factories. In addition to that, the workers also suffered from unemployment and they didn't have the right to vote, go on strikes, or form trade unions. The Industrial Revolution created a society where the poor and the rich were divided. Due to the increasing population and urbanization, cities became crowded with people and living conditions got worse. Problems like poor sanitation and housing arose. Accidents are more likely to happen due to this cause. (2)

        The Industrial Revolution created a destructive impact on the earth and environment. During the Industrial Revolution, millions of factories were built. Factories pollute the air by pumping out chemicals that are harmful to all living things. Due to the creation of factories, our earth is prone to acid rain and global warming. Factories can pollute the environment through thermal pollution, chemical pollution, air pollution, noise pollution that are all damaging to the human population's health and the earth itself. The difference in temperatures can promote algae growth, kill of native fish or wildlife, or it might cause disruptions in the water that causes the water to change temperature, also causing major problems with wildlife. Chemical Pollution is when chemicals are exposed to the environment, either by dumping them into sewage plants, where excess waste ends up in the ground. A good example of this is nuclear waste. This needs to be treated carefully or else it could completely destroy an area. Air pollution is when pollution is mixed in with the air. Noise pollution is when a factory causes a lot of noise that is enough to effect the surrounding environment. From this, we can see why the Industrial Revolution has had a undesirable effect on our planet. (3)

Resources:
1. http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/Industrial_Revolution.html
2. http://www.preservearticles.com/201107159157/what-were-the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-industrialization.html
3. http://climate.nasa.gov/causes

Child Labor Today

      Child Labor Today

This young boy is a mill worker in the United States, 1918.

      
         Can you believe that child labor still exists today? In 2008, there were approximately 215 million child laborers! I was flabbergasted to find out that there is still child labor to this extent in this generation we are in now! Child Labor is basically utilizing children from ages five to fourteen to do hard, dangerous work that can cause many injuries and health problems, both physically and mentally. This is a terrible issue that children are facing today and this issue needs attention. In addition to that, their payments are very low. Child labor deprives children from getting their education like they are supposed to. It also exceeds children's working hours. This benefited the factory owners but not the children. (1)

India is the second
highest place known for child labor.

      South Asia is nominated as the child labor hot spot. Nearly 114 million child laborers are in Asia and the Pacific. Teenage boys sew beads and sequins onto saris and shawls at a workshop in India. The boys often work from six in the morning until two the next morning, and some of them sleep on the floor between shifts. The workers send the money that they earn back to their families. The Philippines also has child labor. The children worked in dangerous jobs like fireworks production, deep sea mining and fishing. In Mongolia today, child labor has increased and children are working in gold, coal and mineral mines. There are over 14 million child labors in Latin America and the Caribbean. Over 22 million are in other regions, which includes the Middle East and North Africa, the developed countries and the former transition economies of Eastern Europe and Asia. (2)

Children had to work in dangerous factories
as shown and they had to work excessively for
 long hours without breaks.

      Causes of child labor is generally speaking, has to do with lack of money, and supplies. Child labor occurs because of natural disasters or the families inability to pay for taxes, rent and etc. Most families who cannot support their children going to school will often send them to work to earn money for them. Natural disasters often occur and many of the population lose their family members and everything they have which leads to a dysfunctional household and in need of money and support so they are forced to send their children to work to earn a living for themselves.  For example, in Mongolia, where there was only a small percentage of child labor but now it has increased because of the winter storms that happened a few years ago that killed millions of livestock. Therefore, making it hard for families to do herding jobs and thus leading to them forcing their children to go to work instead of attaining an education. Mostly, the reason for child labor to happen is because of people's poor conditions and lack of money and in need of extra income. (3)

This is a protest  by  Bachpan Bachao Andolan.
This is a friendly organization of India
 working to end Child labor.

      However, there is still a chance for child labor to end. If everyone were to participate and contribute, then we can all end child labor. Young people worldwide are speaking out against child labor and taking action to raise further awareness of this issue. They are spreading knowledge among people about child labor and act as a voice for those children whose rights are not respected and bringing attention to the importance of this issue so they can act urgently to protect children in danger and deprived freedom. The young people are here to inspire others on the topic of demolishing child labor. A youth-orientated version of Convention No. 182 against the worst forms of child labor has been developed in order to help make people aware that child labor is a violation of human rights hindering children’s development, and learning. Action must be taken to solve this problem. The video “Let children bloom” produced on the occasion of the World Day Against Child Labor 2009 and the 10th anniversary of Convention No. 182, highlights the role of young people in the campaign and calls for an end to child labor. With this, child labor can be halted and children will gain back their rights and education. (4)

Resources:
1. http://www.slideshare.net/AdityaKumar33/ppt-on-child-labour#btnNext
2. http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/briefingpapers/childlabour/vitalstats.shtml
3. http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/children/index.shtml
4. http://www.ilo.org/ipec/Campaignandadvocacy/Youthinaction/lang--en/index.htm