Plight of the American Worker Essay Example for Free

Plight of the American Worker Essay Ten years from now, I don’t know how wealthy I will be. I don’t know what kind of job my husband will have, nor do I know what kind of job I will have. What I do know though is the American worker is struggling, and the struggles will most likely get worse. The United States used to pride itself on providing for its families through hard work. Today, most people lacking education beyond high school struggle to maintain a lifestyle they once dreamed of. Not only are high school graduates suffering but many college graduates are as well because so many jobs have been eliminated due to globalization and technology. Globalization of companies is most likely the main reason American workers are not satisfied with their lifestyles. Companies are starting to outsource their manual labor to third world countries. People from these countries are fighting for their lives and are willing to work for less than a dollar an hour. For an example, â€Å"in Bangladesh, a garment worker makes 22 cents an hour† (Snyder). How can companies turn down such low wages for the same quality of work they would receive from employees who must earn at least minimum wage in the United States? Factories are closing everyday in the United States as new factories are built in third world countries. These factories would provide employment for many people in the U. S. , but companies are better off when they outsource their labor. Labor costs are cut significantly, and top executives are rewarded for their stellar performance. In this case, the top executives’ salaries go up, and the employees’ salaries might change a bit. The most dramatic change occurs for those high on the corporate ladder. Technology is a cause for concern for some individuals. Many jobs are eliminated because of new advancements in technology. Robots and highly advanced machines have taken the place of once very skilled workers. If jobs do open up, so many people apply for the job. They are either looking to get a job or get a job that is a step up from their previous position. For example, â€Å"over one three day period, approximately 10,000 people showed up to apply for 90 jobs making washing machines in Kentucky for $27,000 a year†(Snyder). 27,000 might sound like a lot for a college student trying to pay for rent and a tuition bill but to support a family on this income would be absurd. * Our world is extremely overpopulated and doesn’t help American’s concern for job security. Not only do individuals need to be concerned with a decrease in jobs from outsourcing and technology, but they also are factoring in how crowded the Earth has become. â€Å"Nine percent of the United States is currently unemployed† (â€Å"Unemployment rate†). The American worker wouldn’t be as affected by this number if there weren’t so many people available to work. Finally, as jobs are eliminated, individuals don’t have the resources necessary to start a new life. So many individuals have worked in the same job for long periods of time. Once certain jobs are eliminated, workers are forced to find new jobs. â€Å"They typical worker is spending 15. 4 weeks unemployed†(Frauenheim). Most of the time, if they want to earn an income equivalent to what they were making, they might even have to go back to school. Some individuals might not have the time to go back to school, or they might have started a family and have to put their children through school first. Whatever the case, with so many jobs eliminated, the American worker struggles to successfully start over. I took the side of American workers who have been in the workforce for more than a few years. I have lived a middle class lifestyle, so this is all I really know. As I talked with my mom just the other night, she told me that she wishes she could have changed occupations to make more money but didn’t have the time or the resources. Maybe the definition of hard work has changed in today’s society. Hard work in the past consisted of manual labor and farm work. Because of how society has progressively advanced, hard work now consists of spending a few additional years in school. To some, hard work might even mean having intelligence and finding a promising place to start a career. Whatever the case, the United States needs to keep its jobs here and eliminate such excessive outsourcing. My mother is a teacher, but before I know it, her job might be cut as schools start transitioning to only online courses. I am concerned for American workers, but if such an event happened to her, I would have even stronger feelings towards protecting the American worker.

An Analysis of Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre Essays -- Charlotte Bronte

An Analysis of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre is presented in the Victorian Period of England. It is a novel which tells the story of a child's maturation into adulthood. Jane's developing personality has been shaped by her rough childhood. She has been influenced by many people and experiences. As a woman of her time, Jane has had to deal with the strain of physical appearance. This has a great effect on her mental thinking and decision making. Jane Eyre's cognitive and physical attributes have been affected by her environment throughout her life. Jane Eyre was born an orphan and raised under the hands of a heartless Aunt. Aunt Reed stressed to Jane that she was privileged to live so well without any parents. At a young age, she has to discover the hardships of life. Jane's cousin, John Reed, emphasizes to her "you are a dependent, you have no money, your father left you none, and you ought to beg" (17). With this in mind, Jane Eyre must continue through her early years in life depending on no one but herself. Jane is a wicked child according to Mrs. Reed and Mr. Brocklehurst, the master of a boarding school. She is admitted into Lowood School for orphans; under the orders of her master, she must stand on a stool for a day to release her sin. Jane's isolation and strict punishment is a result of her rebellious attitude toward adults. Helen Burns is Jane's companion who she can relate to and rely on during her hard times. When Helen becomes sick, Jane becomes angry and is determined to leave Lowood as soon as she can. Jane's eight years at Lowood resemble life in a prison. Mr. Brocklehurst's goal is to "not to accustom them to the habits of luxury and indulgence, but to render them hardy... ...rs Jane comes back to see him. She realizes that she still loves him. She longs to be loved. He is the only person that will give her a chance of a real relationship. Jane has discovered her heart. Jane makes decisions based on the outcomes. Whatever she decides, she wants passion and love to be a direct result. She only feels this with Mr. Rochester. Mrs. Reed and Mr. Brocklehurst have given Jane a restriction on life. As soon as she arrives at Thornfield, her strict life is rescued by Mr. Rochester. Rochester reveals his desire for her, and she is finally led into the world of love. She no longer has to deny herself of her emotions, but is free to express them. Jane's appearance has not prohibited her from achieving what she desires, but becomes a major part of her reasoning. Works Cited: Bronte, Charlotte. Jane Eyre. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1996.

The Importance of Labor Unions in the United States

A Labor Union is an â€Å"association of workers that seeks to improve the economic and social well-being of its members through group action.† A labor union represents its members in negotiations with an employer regarding all the terms and conditions of an employment contract. These negotiations are called collective bargaining, which is concerned with wages, working hours, fringe benefits, job security, safety and other related to an employee’s working condition. This process is now a crucial part of the labor union movement and an accepted practice in many industrial nations. In the United States, workers can become members of a union by voting to certify a union as their collective bargaining agent. Unionized jobs in the United States pay substantially higher wages than nonunion jobs, even after taking into account skill differences among workers employed in different establishments.   Overall, the gap in wages between unionized workers and nonunionized workers in about 15 percent in the United States, with unionized members receiving higher wages. Unions tend to increase the wages of less-skilled workers by a larger percentage than they raise the wages of more-skilled workers because they have had greater success at organizing less-skilled workers. In addition to wages and fringe benefits, unions also bargain for better working conditions. Without the existence of these unions, workers may not have an established mechanism for informing employers of grievances about working conditions, wages, or other aspects of the employment relationship. In many countries, labor unions are officially affiliated with political parties. The main goal of the labor movements in the United States is to improve wages and working conditions for their membership and representing their members if the employer attempts or actually violates contract provisions. Because of this labor unions, many workers can fearlessly voice out their concerns and demand for their rights as employees of an organization. Laws have been passed and the rights of workers for better working conditions, just wages, and the like have been properly monitored and abided by. However, there are drawbacks as well to having these labor unions in the United States. Unions raise member wages but to not have sizable impact on productivity. Hirsch generalized that unions are associated with a reduction in profits, a decrease in investment in research and development and physical capital, and a lower employment rate. Vedder and Gallaway also made it clear that union power and membership has significantly decreased over the last half century, which has been a result of increased anti-union policy and a growing economy for the United States. The effect unionization had on productivity levels was found to be small. Because productivity changes are small, they do not offset the higher costs incurred by firms who give a wage premium to union members.   It only makes sense that if profits and investment are going down as a result of unionization, the employment growth will slow down as well. Industries with high union densities, such as mining, construction, durable goods manufacturing, and transportation and public utilities, showed negative growth rates, indicating that there has been an employment shift from unionized sectors to nonunionized sectors (Vedder and Gallaway, 111). Today’s U.S. economy is highly competitive due to the deregulation of many large industries and a large increase in the private sector. Entry and exit into these industries has become easier, thus causing unionized firms to compete both nationally and internationally. Positive effects can be directed to the benefits of these labor unions on workers or employees, such as better working conditions, just wages, assured implementation of the terms of the employment contract and more. They may not have been able to unify their voices with regards to fighting for equitable rights as workers if not largely for these labor unions, who as a whole, commonly generate attention from employers. This is not only to eliminate tension and bad publicity for the organization, but also to level out the needs of the company’s workforce. These largely contribute or are primarily directed to the wellness of the affected workers. However, on the larger whole, numerous studies have indicated the negative effects labor unions have on the economy. The study by Vedder and Gallway suggested that federal policy has a long-term effect on labor unions, but that for the most part the decline in labor unions is due to changes in the structure of the economy. IN fact, the Bush administration has implemented policy in the federal workforce to encourage workers not to join labor unions. References Hirsch, B.R. â€Å"Unionization and Economic Performance: Evidence on Productivity, Profits, Investment and Growth†. Public Policy Sources, No. 3, Florida State University.. Retrieved 30 October 2007. Perry, M.J. The Economics of Labor Unions. Retrieved. Pindyck, R.S., & David Rubenfield. (2001). Microeconomics, 5th Ed. US: Prentice Hall.   

My Fear of Public Speaking - 1064 Words

Topic Many organizations continually search for aspiring professionals with leadership qualities and the ability to effectively speak to fellow professionals, at conferences, seminars, and outside the company environment. However, several professionals who are subject matter experts are terrified if called upon to speak to an audience. What lends to more poignancy to this issue is the fact that the positions of these professionals may be at stake. Several have lost their positions or have been overlooked for promotion because of their inability to deliver effective speeches. Yet, the lack of public speaking skills among promising professionals continues to be a major concern for several organizations. Topic Choice. The prevalence of this problem in several organizations warrants this study. Management must effectively communicate with their employees, their business partners, and their philanthropy partners. Professionals must also be able to communicate effectively. 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