Future of Unions

For the purposes of this paper, I have chosen to discuss the future of labor unions in regards to their initial perception of being strictly beneficial in providing better wages, hours, and working conditions for employees, to their recent decline of memberships over the last few decades. With the booming of technology and the outsourcing of jobs, unions have had a hard time convincing employees that their benefits are worth the union dues or fees that employees have to pay. To detail where unions currently stand in the workforce, its origination and some key facts regarding its past dealings must first be acknowledged.

For instance, one of the first major labor unions was the Knights of Labor (KOL) which was led by Terrence Powderly. According to the article “Labor Unions” by Eric Eichhorn, the main issues of the KOL were to “acquire equal pay for men and women, initiate an income tax upon the wealthy, dissolve the federal banking system, and enact prohibition”(2009). It even wanted to establish less working hours. Under the leadership of Powderly, the KOL reached its highest membership enrollment of a little more than 700,000 workers. However, because Powderly was opposed to organizing strikes, some of the more outspoken and aggressive members began to break away from his leadership and eventually formed their own union.

There was a huge riot known as the Haymarket Riot, in Chicago, that some conclude to be the origination of the breakdown of Powderly’s leadership. Cops were injured and the union was viewed as being violent. A few of the KOL members were arrested and sentenced to death. During this time, Powderly gave a public speech acknowledging that there was no connection between the men charged for the crimes and the KOL. He again admitted that he was against strikes and violence of any kind. Many members were angry because they felt betrayed. This gave rise to the formation of other large union federations.