What labor relations issues and union perspectives should students examine?

"6. What are the key issues facing labor unions today? Visit the AFL-CIO website, http://www.aflcio.org , and Labornet, http://www.labornet.org . Select three current topics and summarize the key points for the class. 7. Not everyone believes that unions are good for workers. The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation offers free legal aid to employees whose “human and civil rights have been violated by compulsory unionism abuses.” Read the materials on its site ( http://www.nrtw.org ), and prepare a short report on its position regarding the disadvantages of labor unions. 8. Although we tend to think of labor unions as representing manufacturing employees, many office and service-industry employees, teachers, and professional belong to unions. Visit the websites of two of the following nonmanufacturing unions and discuss how they help their members: the Office and Professional Employees International Union ( http://www.opeiu.org ), the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees ( http://www.afscme.org ), the National Education Association ( http://www.nea.org ), the Actor’s Equity Association ( http://www.actorsequity.org ), and the American Federation of Musicians ( http://www.afm.org ). What are the differences, if any, between these unions and those in other industries? Critical Thinking Case Discrimination in the Workplace Continues Although we live in enlightened times, a recent Gallup Poll found that 15 percent of American workers still experienced some form of workplace discrimination. The study was conducted to mark the anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the creation of the EEOC. The poll found that the two most frequently cited types of discrimination are sexual discrimination (31 percent) and discrimination based on race or ethnicity (36 percent). Also mentioned were age, disability, sexual orientation, and religion. The work areas found to be most susceptible to discrimination are promotion and pay. Being selected for a job and treatment in the workplace were also cited. Wage discrimination and sexual harassment are two big battles women continue to fight. Both topics were in the headlines in 2017; one took center stage and the other was brushed under the covers (at least for now). Thanks to Harvey Weinstein, the topic of sexual harassment was in the spotlight, setting off a tsunami as women around the world reacted with their #MeToo stories. As the movement progressed from Hollywood, to media companies, to Capitol Hill, and finally into corporate America, the topic had a platform. From the Chapter 8 Managing Human Resources and Labor Relations 331"