How Do Labor Unions Affect The Lives Of American Workers?

As of 2017, 14.8 million wage and salary workers have belonged to a labor union ("Union Members"). Labor unions fight for higher wages, raising standards of living, safe working conditions, and increasing workers benefits. They have been protesting for centuries to constantly better lives for workers. Labor unions were formed to prevent these problems from resurfacing. Unions often work like a democracy by holding elections for officers. These officers come up with resolutions to give workers more power in their jobs ("Labor Unions"). Since their conception, labor unions have positively affected the lives of the American worker.
Throughout the years, numerous labor unions have developed to enhance workers’ lives. The American Federation of
Employers are getting lazy when providing benefits for their workers. What often happens is companies either cut down people's hours, don't renew contracts, or changing their companies' location. Many companies want to save more money by not providing their workers with health insurance, cutting hours, and also wages. It has been said that working people need to resist these changes because if they don’t, the workplace will be very similar to times in the 19th century, and will undo what many have already fought for. Labor unions will always be necessary for protection in the lives of American worker (“Labor Unions”). They give power to voice opinions on safer and better working conditions. Collective bargaining plays a large role in labor unions when negotiating power. It occurs when a group of people come together to negotiate power. Labor unions are also good and help join workers together to meet a common goal. Union workers are better able to work through their personal problems with employers. If non-union members have an issue with an employer, the necessary measures that are taken, are much more time
If a worker has a personal issue with an employer, it is easier to take care of. For non union workers, they have to contact that specific company’s human resources department to inform them of the issue. In cases with union members, if they meet with the HR representative for a company they won’t feel as outnumbered or nervous. The Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA) is a very large and influential progressive union in America. Over time it has become one of the most successful unions in terms of helping workers. They represent over 50,000 people working in different fields (“Labor Unions”). Steel companies were a key role in many of the unions formed. The United States Workers of America (USWA) is also a large labor union in the United States, they try to mainly focus on construction projects. The USWA continued to allow members to have a constantly rising standard of living. They have failed to stop the disintegration of mills and owner’s discrimination. Joseph Cranecwa explains the wants of almost all labor unions in his quote, “Working people have a lot of concerns in this economy. They want decent pay. They want benefits. And of course they want job security. I tell them all the reasons why they need union representation.” People in labor unions are just searching for and requesting a sense of security for themselves, and their families (“Labor Unions”). Union workers enjoy benefits such as health,