Reference no: EM133213370

In the 1900s, union organizers and union members played a critical role in establishing the basic rights of working people: negotiating better (if not equitable) wages, reasonable work hours and safer working conditions for laborers who had previously been considered expendable. However, we live in very different times. Although some industries and business models are still exploitative, our current labor markets and socio-political dynamics are significantly different than those of the 1900s. Are unions still relevant? What is the future of unions?

Your Task

In your next rotation, you have been assigned to the firm's Employee Relations practice. This practice provides research and advisory services, including benefit and wage benchmarking. One of the sub-specialties is tracking union organization efforts, public sentiment and legislation and-in a departure from the usual practice-advising both unions and management on how to develop employee value propositions and collaborative management practices.

Your task is to develop a draft position statement for the firm's Employee Relations principal, distilling what you've learned in this module. Your position statement must reflect current realities, including additional research as needed.

Additional Information: Read James Sherk's "Unions need to reinvent themselves" (cited in the module) commentary for perspective on what the principal is looking for in substance and tone.