Merit Badge Requirements
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AMERICAN LABOR
- Using resources available to you, learn about working people
and work-related concerns. List and briefly describe or give
examples of at least EIGHT concerns of American workers. These
may include, but are not limited to, working conditions,
workplace safety, hours, wages, seniority, job security, equal
opportunity employment and discrimination, guest workers,
automation and technologies that replace workers, unemployment,
layoffs, outsourcing, and employee benefits such as health care,
child care, profit sharing, and retirement benefits.
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With your counselor's and parent's approval and permission,
visit the office or attend a meeting of a local union, a central
labor council, or an employee organization, or contact one of
these organizations via the Internet. Then do EACH of the
following:
- Find out what the organization does.
- Share the list of issues and concerns you made for requirement 1. Ask the people you communicate with which issues are of greatest interest or concern to them and why.
- Draw a diagram showing how the organization is structured,
from the local to the national level, if applicable.
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Explain to your counselor what labor unions are, what they
do, and what services they provide to members. In your
discussion, show that you understand the concepts of labor,
management, collective bargaining, negotiation, union shops,
open (nonunion) shops, grievance procedures, mediation,
arbitration, work stoppages, strikes, and lockouts.
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Explain what is meant by the adversarial model of
labor-management relations, compared with a
cooperative-bargaining style.
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Do ONE of the following:
- Develop a time line of significant events in the history of the American labor movement from the 1770s to the present.
- Prepare an exhibit, a scrapbook, or a computer presentation, such as a slide show, illustrating three major achievements of the American labor movement and how those achievements affect American workers.
- With your counselor's and parent's approval and permission, watch a movie that addresses organized labor in the United States. Afterward, discuss the movie with your counselor and explain what you learned.
- Read a biography (with your counselor's approval) of someone
who has made a contribution to the American labor movement.
Explain what contribution this person has made to the American
labor movement.
-
Explain the term globalization. Discuss with your counselor
some effects of globalization on the workforce in the United
States. Explain how this global workforce fits into the economic
system of this country.
-
Choose a labor issue of widespread interest to American
workers-an issue in the news currently or known to you from your
work on this merit badge. Before your counselor, or in writing,
argue both sides of the issue, first taking management's side,
then presenting labor's or the employee's point of view. In your
presentation, summarize the basic rights and responsibilities of
employers and employees, including union members and nonunion
members.
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Discuss with your counselor the different goals that may
motivate the owners of a business, its stockholders, its
customers, its employees, the employees' representatives, the
community, and public officials. Explain why agreements and
compromises are made and how they affect each group in achieving
its goals.
- Learn about opportunities in the field of labor relations. Choose one career in which you are interested and discuss with your counselor the major responsibilities of that position and the qualifications, education, and training such a position requires.
List of Merit Badge Requirements