Chapter 27: Problem 27

Which group of workers would be the casiest for a union to organize? \((\mathrm{LO} 2,4,5)\) a) Employees at a Walmart store b) Employees of a county government c) Employees at a Honda plant in Ohio d) Employees at a textile mill in North Carolina

Short Answer

Expert verified

The easiest group for a union to organize would be (d) Employees at a textile mill in North Carolina, due to the more difficult working conditions they potentially face and the textile industry's history of union involvement.

Step by step solution

Consider the factors affecting unionization

When thinking about which group would be easiest for a union to organize, we should consider factors such as the size of the workforce, the workers' job satisfaction or dissatisfaction, and their existing relationships with their employers. Additionally, it's important to take into account any legal constraints that might impact unionization efforts.

a) Employees at a Walmart store

Walmart is known for its large workforce and low prices, which often leads to low employee wages. Due to discontentment regarding wages and working conditions, employees may be more inclined towards unionization. However, Walmart has consistently resisted any unionization attempts, making it difficult to successfully organize this group of workers.

b) Employees of a county government

County government employees typically have more job security and better benefits compared to private sector employees. As a result, they might be less inclined to seek union representation. Additionally, regulations and policies established by the county government may make organizing and negotiating for benefits more challenging than with other groups.

c) Employees at a Honda plant in Ohio

Employees at a Honda plant may have better working conditions and higher pay as compared to employees in a retail store or textile mill. However, since the plant is located in the United States, rather than Japan (where Honda is headquartered), workers might be more open to organizing in an effort to protect their interests. Challenges to unionization for this group may include cultural differences and a strong corporate culture that discourages unionization.

d) Employees at a textile mill in North Carolina

Employees in a textile mill may face more difficult working conditions than other groups in this question, which could potentially make them more inclined towards unionization. Also, the textile industry in the United States has a history of union involvement, which could make it easier to organize these employees.

Identify the easiest group to organize

After examining each group and the factors that might impact unionization efforts, it seems that the employees at a textile mill in North Carolina might be the easiest to organize. This is due to the likelihood that they face more difficult working conditions than the other groups and the fact that the textile industry has a history of union involvement. Therefore, the correct answer is (d) Employees at a textile mill in North Carolina.

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