Essay Sample on Labor Relations

Introduction

In general, labor relations have various meanings depending on the setting of the statement. Therefore, it is the relations of the human with work and the social injustices in which it is related. Moreover, it relates factors such as the hours worked, psychological strain and the freedom of action to the wages paid by the employer. Consequently, strict rules have been placed to ensure workers are protected. In the old years, staffs were not valued as the employers always oppressed them in various ways. The book, Raising Expectations (and Raising Hell), the topic of labor has been discussed through the scenes resulting in the reader having to identify the importance of workers in a firm (Mather, 2014. Jane being an activist, has exposed all challenges that staffs undergo when working in severe conditions. Hence, her central aim is to ensure that proper measures of safety are taken before employers recruit new members. Payment is also significant because it assists in sustaining people in the tough situations. Therefore, the discussion involves providing a book report related to labor relations and how the author has portrayed it in the book.

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Jane McAlevey perfected her talent in the social causes and was majorly drawn to the new labor movement that was led by John. In 1998, as she worked at AFL-CIO a good job was done because a vast number of the public was mobilized to support leaders for the union causes Connecticut that made her attract Jerry brown. Therefore, she was convinced to join the SEUI organizing staff. Consequently, she later became an executive director as she was hired by the local board due to the excellent job she had conducted over the years. A trait of dedication and hard work is seen since Jane had developed the interest in relating to people and directing them towards the right path that would make them not have any regrets due to the leaders are chosen. As a student, she mobilized people in case of an irregularity that resulted in practical the issues that affected the individuals. Apart from her duties of being a local manager, she engaged in negotiating for better contracts for hospitals. Therefore, she dealt in big hospitals that were owned by stubborn conglomerates. Thus, she provides that in one of her campaigns, she was pushed by bullies from a firm that majored on union-busting that was hired to represent a hospital chain. Moreover, her expectations were disapproved when she expected that she would only recruit new members to the association. Therefore, she was disabused that made her work difficult as the heads became violent when they disagreed with the provisions (Harden, 2013). Most contracts expired in a maximum and minimum of six and four weeks respectively. When Jane asked Jerry to check one of the arrangements of the hospitals owned by United Health Services, he found them to be the worst because, in the normal working conditions, employees should not pay equivalent of the wages, yet the membership had been compromised making it challenging to identify the people that still existed in the Union.

The battle to ensure the employees gained justice occurred in many years as the facilitators did not want to make adjustments. Therefore, this became her main project resulting in the employees getting the treatment they deserved. Jane developed the philosophy of mass mobilization that was aimed at the strategy of direct action. For the negotiations to be directed to Desert Springs, a lawyer from the union-busting union was chosen. Jane used a better technique to guard the union since the nurses were mobilized and alerted of the conditions. Moreover, they were motivated to remain still. Out of the seven members that had attended two were diehards of the Union, hence through the frequent meetings, the membership increased. A list of the concerns was compiled; accordingly, a committee was formulated to make negotiations, and each member had a task to represent a topic assigned so that the working conditions of the nurses improved. Jane was influential because she was transparent in all operations with the people. Therefore, she prioritized the needs of the workers and used her strength of mobilizing people to promote unity. In the case of the hospital issues, she had to remain persistent for the employers to change the conditions. The wages had to be improved to make the nurses have a good time working. Therefore, most times she ensured that the public rules so that their requirements were met accordingly. Her gender did not deprive her of working as the threats she got made her persist on doing right to the people. Most times employers want to oppress workers because they are confident their voices would not be heard even if they demonstrated. Jane ensured that a vast number of the public was involved so that the grievances would be addressed. Labour requires proper negotiations to provide that all members enjoy the performing at the firms. The meetings of the Union made the representatives gain confidence in talking about the issues. Therefore, the persistence made the strategies successful.

The negotiations gave pressure to the company since they were forced to operate on the terms of the Union. The meeting with the heads was successful because casino workers and carpenters joined in ensuring that all requirements were met. Therefore, the Union was prepared for the rough situations as all they wanted was for the pay to increase so that they would have an amount on which to survive. The struggle became tense when the Union failed to extend their contracts. Once the vote was truck members pulled out; since they were losing hope as the company had been unable to respond. Jane was worried but still optimistic that change would occur due to the pressure that had been placed to the company. The success of the two hospitals at Nevada was among the victories of Jane since she wanted the members to work in good conditions that were considerate of their rights. Therefore, she also provided that even in tough times, the Union could still win the case because it was mobilized democratically since no one was reprimanded from pulling of the Union when the matter got out of hand. After the success, Jane got to learn more about various aspects of the nation. Therefore, she explains that no one believed in hospital strikes because the nurses always considered the lives of the patients.

Moreover, they were empathetic of those on critical conditions. She also provides that the health of the workers should be given priority so that they can always offer the best services. Jane had a role in the community ad always ensured that she served people diligently. Most cases that fellow staff could not tackle were presented to her; she still provided a solution to the problems. She believed in public involvement since they had a significant influence on deciding whether the matter presented was making sense or not (McAlevey & Ostertag, 2014). The Union became strong such that they went on to hold more strikes in case their grievances were not addressed. The strength of the people was significant because it ensured that the provisions were met. Profits are substantial, but the workers need proper management to ensure that productivity is enhanced. Therefore, service providers should remain united so that they are served well by the owners of the companies. Note that the matter of the hospital made Jane determine her potential since it had never occurred that staff from the hospitals had struck.

Employees need to create a Union especially those that have the same professions so that in case the working conditions are altered, strategies can be developed to ensure that the owners become reactive. Therefore, labor relations tend to major on the requirements of workers. Companies should be considerate of the staff so that they can provide the best services that retain customers resulting from increase in the number of profits. Before a strike occurs, the members should be motivated to ensure that unity is promoted in the process. Jane played an essential role as she incited the people positively and assured that the situation improved after pressure was placed to the owners. Workers should ensure that they address their grievances to the relevant people so that a proper address is made.

References

McAlevey, J., & Ostertag, B. (2014). Raising expectations (and raising hell): My decade fighting for the labor movement. Verso Trade.

Mathers, A. (2014). Raising Expectations (and Raising Hell): My Decade Fighting for the Labor Movement, by Jane McAlevey. Verso Books, New York, 2014, 332 pp., ISBN: 978 1 78168 315 6, PS9.99, paperback. British Journal of Industrial Relations, 52(4), 823-825.

Harden, J. (2013). Raising Expectations (and Raising Hell): My Decade Fighting for the Labour Movement, by Jane McAlevy and Bob Ostertag. Socialist Studies/Etudes Socialistes, 9(1).