The Power of Unions in the U.S. Today Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Power of Unions in the U.S. Today - Essay Example Both the organizations play a significant role promoting legislation and policies favorable to workers in US and Canada. When federal and state laws are applicable to public sector unions, National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) regulates private sector unions. While analyzing the labor history of the United States, it is clear that labor unions have played an inevitable role in improving the wages and working conditions of labors. Today labor unions have some political powers and influences to force the government to form and amend labor laws to enhance the welfare of US workers. As Greenhouse points out, union workers earned median weekly income of $943 in 2012 whereas this income was only $742 in case of nonunion workers. According to a federal government evaluation on the pay scale in the country (as reported in Schultz and Schultz), it was identified that members of labor unions earn up to 33% more income than nonunion members. In addition, employees in a labor union enjoy more job security, high quality work environment, and other benefits than their nonunion counterparts (271-272). Although labor unions have been assisting employees to enjoy better wages, working conditions, and other benefits for decades, studies and reports indicate that the power of unions in the US is declining. While analyzing the statistical data on the union membership, it seems that today American unions have only a fraction of the influence they had a few decades ago. To illustrate, as Leves reports in CNN, nearly 20% workers were union members in 1983 and currently it has been dropped to 12%. This decline has been worse in the private sector where union membership fell from 17% in 1983 to only 7% today. The annual summary of the unionization in the United States published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics also comes up with the similar claims. According to this report (as cited in Warner), the union membership of wage and salary

How does communicaton influence ones sense of identity Essay

How does communicaton influence ones sense of identity - Essay Example Therefore communication and ones sense of identity are two interrelated concepts. People can’t live without communication with each other, it is impossible not to talk to other people, not to share information. A sense of identity is a certain filter that helps to structure and organize information and communicative strategies relevant to an individual: â€Å"The concepts and information relevant to the self also have an instrumental influence on decisions to pursue particular goals† (Sense of Identity). In its turn, communication is a certain measurement of individual’s sense of identity. Individuals’ sense of identity varies; therefore it is natural that every performer of a certain social role communicates in a different manner. For example, self-assured individuals are more direct and energetic communicants. Uncertain individuals are more tolerant or even passive communicants in comparison with the active communicants mentioned above. This observation can be explained in the following way: the society imposes its social roles on individuals; social stereotypes make every individual to perceive another with regard to the social role he plays. Consequently, a process of communication reflects the way individuals perceive themselves (i.e. their sense of identity), the way individuals perceive each other: in the process of communication â€Å"we learn how others see us, and we internalize many views of the world and of who we are and should be† (Communication and personal identity). Nevertheless, there are basic principles of successful communication. These are: attentive and valuable attention paid to an interlocutor; respect, courtesy and patience. Basically, if to comply with these basic principles, then sense of identity of every interlocutor won’t decrease. Vice versa, in the process of a favorable communication the assessment of self-identity of any communicator is increased (Communication and personal identity). The easiest way to trace the connection between self-identity and communication is to consider it in practice. The clearest example is daily communication with our family members. The opinion of the closest relatives, of our beloved people influence the way we consider ourselves. This communication takes place from the first days of our life and forms our first identity, so it is very important and essential. In the paradigm of the following concepts we’ll consider this interrelation: direct definition, identity scripts and attachment styles. Direct definition is the way our family members ‘label’ us (little boy, a big girl etc). Parents’ gender roles are usually transferred to their children. Thus, what children value in future depends on values imposed on them by their parents in their childhood. Identity scripts are â€Å"rules for how we are supposed to live and who we are supposed to be† (Communication and personal identity). Family values and heritage are reflected in identity scripts. They are transferred to children in the process of communication and thus a sense of identity is pre-shaped in identity scripts. The last concept is attachment styles. This concept implies the way parents impose on us how to treat and relate to others. Generally, a child develops a sense of a positive sense of self-worth (Communication and personal identity). Therefore communication and sense of identity are two related concepts. Communication represents a certain measurement of