American Federation of Labor

American Federation of Labor

Union

 

·         an employee organization whose main goal is representing its members in employee management negotiations over job-related issues

 

Cordwainers

 

athe first union; they met to discuss pay, hours, and conditions

 

Knights of Labor

 

·         the first national labor organization; they formed in search of political power in 1869

 

American Federation of Labor (AFL)

 

·         a federation of craft unions that championed basic labor issues; rival to the Knights of Labor

 

Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO)

 

·         union organization of unskilled workers; broke away from the AFL in 1935 and rejoined it in 1955

 

Industrial Revolution

 

·         kick started the union movement in the U.S.

 

Management

 

·         responsible for producing a profit by maxing out productivity

 

Labor

 

·         looking for fair work environment

 

Collective Bargaining

 

·         the process by which representatives of a union meet with representatives of management to negotiate a contract for workers

 

National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

 

·         the agency responsible for certifying unions in the U.S.

 

Union Shop Agreement

 

·         permits the company to hire workers who have never worked for a union; upon employment they must agree to join within a specified period of time

 

Right to Work Law

 

·         legislation that gives workers the right, under an open shop agreement, to join or not join a union if it is present (exists in North Carolina)

 

Grievance

 

·         a charge by an employee that management is not abiding by the terms of the negotiated labor-management agreement; reasons include disagreements about layoffs, job transfers, job assignments, overtime rules, or promotions

 

Agency Shop Agreement

 

·         employers can hire nonunion workers; workers are not required to join the union but since all workers benefit from collective bargaining, they are required to pay union dues

 

Negotiated Labor Management Agreement

 

·         labor contract; agreement that sets the tone and clarifies the terms under which management and labor agree to function over a period of time

 

Primary Boycott

 

·         occurs when labor encourages both its members and the general public not to buy the product

 

Secondary Boycott

 

·         labor convincing others to stop doing business with a firm that is the subject of the primary boycott

 

Injunctions

 

·         a court order directing someone to do something or to refrain from doing something

 

Lockouts

 

·         an attempt by management to put pressure on unions by temporarily closing the business

 

Sexual Harassment

 

·         unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other conduct of such behavior uncomfortable and creates a hostile working environment

 

Closed Shop Agreement

 

·         made illegal by the Taft-Hartley Act; under this type of labor agreement, employers could hire only current union members for the job

 

Open Shop Agreement

 

·         union membership is voluntary for new and existing employees; those who don't join the union have to pay union dues; few union contracts are this type

 

Norris LaGuardia Act

 

·         prohibited courts from issuing injunctions against nonviolent union activities; outlawed contracts forbidding union activities; outlawed the use of yellow-dog contracts by employers

 

National Labor Relations Act (Wagner)

 

·         gave employees the right to form or join labor organizations; the right to collectively bargain with employers through elected union representatives; and the right to engage in labor activities such as strikes, picketing, and boycotts; gave great impetus to the union movement

 

Fair Labor Standards Act

 

·         set minimum wage and maximum basic hours for workers in interstate commerce industries

 

Labor Management Relations Act (Taft Hartley)

 

·         amended the Wagner Act; permitted states to pass laws prohibiting compulsory union membership; set up methods to deal with strikes that affect national health and safety; prohibited secondary boycotts, closed shop agreements, and featherbedding; gave more power to management

 

 

Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (Landrum Griffin Act)

 

·         amended the taft-hartley and wagner acts; guranteed individual rights of union members in dealing with their union, such as the right to nominate candidates for union office, vote in union elections, attend and participate in union meetings, vote on union business, and examine union records and accounts; required annual financial reports to be filed with the U.S. Department of Labor; one goal was to clean up union corruption