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Labor unions are legally recognized as representatives of workers in many industries in the United States. Their activity today centers on collective bargaining over wages, benefits, and working conditions for their membership, and on representing their members in disputes with management over violations of contract provisions. Larger unions also typically engage in lobbying activities and electioneering at the state and federal level. Most unions in the United States are aligned with one of two larger umbrella organizations: the AFL-CIO created in 1955, and the Change to Win Federation which split from the AFL-CIO in 2005. Both advocate policies and legislation on behalf of workers in the United States and Canada, and take an active role in politics. The AFL-CIO is especially concerned with global trade issues. In 2013 there were 14.5 million members in the U.S., compared with 17.7 million in 1983. In 2013, the percentage of workers belonging to a union in the United States (or total labor union "density") was 11.3%, compared to 20.1% in 1983.〔Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Union Membership Summary" (Jan 24, 2014 )〕 From a global perspective, the density in 2010 was 11.4% in the U.S., 18.4% in Germany, 27.5% in Canada, and 70% in Finland.〔See (Trade Union Density ) OECD. StatExtracts. Retrieved: 17 November 2011.〕 Union membership in the private sector has fallen under 7%〔(Union Members Summary ) Bureau of Labor Statistics, January 24, 2014 Retrieved: 11 March 2014〕 — levels not seen since 1932. In the 21st century the most prominent unions are among public sector employees such as city employees, government workers, teachers and police. Members of unions are disproportionately older, male, and residents of the Northeast, the Midwest, and California.〔(Not With a Bang, But a Whimper: The Long, Slow Death Spiral of America's Labor Movement )| Richard Yeselson| June 6, 2012〕 Union workers average 10-30% higher pay than non-union in the United States after controlling for individual, job, and labor market characteristics.〔(8-31-2004 Union Membership Trends in the United States ) Gerald Mayer. Congressional Research Service. 8-31-2004〕 Although much smaller compared to their peak membership in the 1950s, American unions remain a political factor, both through mobilization of their own memberships and through coalitions with like-minded activist organizations around issues such as immigrant rights, trade policy, health care, and living wage campaigns. Of special concern are efforts by cities and states to reduce the pension obligations owed to unionized workers who retire in the future. Republicans elected with Tea Party support in 2010, most notably Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin, have launched major efforts against public sector unions due in part to state government pension obligations along with the allegation that the unions are too powerful.〔Nelson Lichtenstein, "Can This Election Save the Unions?," (''Dissent'' Summer 2012 ).〕〔Jason Stein and Patrick Marley, ''More than They Bargained For: Scott Walker, Unions, and the Fight for Wisconsin'' (2013) is favorable toward Walker, who beat off a recall challenge and was easily reelected in 2014〕 States with higher levels of union membership tend to have higher median incomes〔Politics that Work (April 3, 2015). (Union Membership and Median Income ). Retrieved April 18, 2015.〕 and standards of living.〔Politics that Work (April 3, 2015). (Union Membership and Standard of Living ). Retrieved April 18, 2015.〕 It has been asserted by scholars and the International Monetary Fund that rising income inequality in the United States is directly attributable to the decline of the labor movement and union membership.〔Doree Armstrong (February 12, 2014). (Jake Rosenfeld explores the sharp decline of union membership, influence ). ''UW Today.'' Retrieved December 19, 2014. See also: Jake Rosenfeld (2014) ''(What Unions No Longer Do ).'' Harvard University Press. ISBN 0674725115〕〔Keith Naughton, Lynn Doan and Jeffrey Green (February 20, 2015). (As the Rich Get Richer, Unions Are Poised for Comeback ). ''Bloomberg.'' Retrieved February 20, 2015. * "A 2011 study drew a link between the decline in union membership since 1973 and expanding wage disparity. Those trends have since continued, said Bruce Western, a professor of sociology at Harvard University who co-authored the study."〕〔Michael Hiltzik (March 25, 2015). (IMF agrees: Decline of union power has increased income inequality ). ''Los Angeles Times.'' Retrieved March 26, 2015.〕 ==History== (詳細はKnights of Labor emerged as a major force in the late 1880s, but it collapsed because of poor organization, lack of effective leadership, disagreement over goals, and strong opposition from employers and government forces. The American Federation of Labor, founded in 1886 and led by Samuel Gompers until his death in 1924, proved much more durable. It arose as a loose coalition of various local unions. It helped coordinate and support strikes and eventually became a major player in national politics, usually on the side of the Democrats. American labor unions benefitted greatly from the New Deal policies of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in the 1930s. The Wagner Act, in particular, legally protected the right of unions to organize. Unions from this point developed increasingly closer ties to the Democratic Party, and are considered a backbone element of the New Deal Coalition. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Labor unions in the United States」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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