Declan
DP Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 2, 2014
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- Political Leaning
- Progressive
When has the power not been in the hands of employers? For the most part, employers have most of the power; however, business is not a one way street. The power can absolutely be in the hands of employers if employees find themselves without any leverage. In the early industrialised economy, employers could have taken advantage of low wage work because the industry (for the most part) was very low skilled, as sophisticated machines performed most of the work. This dynamic isn't much different today, as most of the jobs being filled in this economy is low wage work that requires very little skill.
This is probably one of the reasons why union participation rates are at all time lows, not just in the United States, but all over the world (except in Scandinavia). Today's workplace is increasingly individualised. When you're in a union, your productivity and performance is judged as a whole group. As an individual, you are judged on your own merits.
The jobs that favor unions are going overseas and the government between laws and agencies are chieving more worker benefits and protections than unions.