The past or current tendency of unionizing or not, is the proof of the diversity of our working environment. Some factors are therefore influencing or refraining workers from joining an union:

1) Positive Factors:

• Strong craft unions: unions such as IGMETAL, are achieving job-related goals, since they benefit from substantial memberships. Therefore, they are able to defend crafts’ demands.

• Work force ’s protection: in a competitive context, employers are prone to implement their own policies, despite workers’ rights. Thus, unions enable compromises (wage reopener clause or cost-of-living adjustment). This protection is moreover vital in some areas (textile, factories), because of the usual bad working conditions.

2) Negative factors:

• The composition of the work force: it was clearly shown, that workers who belong to minorities (because of their color, religion, gender) are not tend to unionize.

• Anti-unionization strategies: some firms are not willing its employees to join an union, since they could possibly protest through: picketing, boycotts, slowdowns or even strikes. These employees might crack under the corporate pressure.

• A lack of negotiation: in some countries (like in Italy or France), unions are not reaching agreements on collective bargaining, since craft unions are too numerous. A compromise is often complex to find.

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B) What is the state of the labor-unions in your country as compared to the U.S ?

It is obvious that France unions do not benefit from a good image and renown. Indeed, french unions have proved their inefficiency to reach an agreement or to negotiate collective bargaining.

Therefore, several reasons can be found.

• In order to impose their conditions and demands, unions are prone to focus on confrontation rather than on co-operation (mainly strikes).

• Furthermore, french unions are unable to federate craft-unions. Therefore, agreements have to be reached with a diversity of unions.

• Finally, employees do not believe that unions are able to protect and to defend their own rights. Thus, a certain decline of the unionization is noticed at present.

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Bibliography

introduction to modern business

6th edition

Word Count: 335