A new approach to resolving the right-to-work ethical dilemma
Journal of Business Ethics 73 (3):231 - 243 (2007)
| Abstract | Union security has long been an industrial relations controversy. While compulsory unionism supporters say it benefits the working class, right-to-work advocates denounce it as an unethical infringement of individual rights and freedom. Unfortunately, neither side has adequately addressed the shortcomings of their viewpoint, nor the broader worker concerns about effective representation beyond just “unionism”. In this paper, we examine the ethical and practical problems of compulsory (union security) and voluntary (right-to-work) unionism and propose a new resolution, compulsory proportional representation, that has the advantages of: (a) ensuring workers’ freedom to associate or not associate, (b) promoting freedom to contract, (c) allowing free competition in representation in line with anti-trust principles, (d) improving industrial peace and efficiency, (e) enhancing fairness and social justice, and (f) addressing the employer–employee power imbalance. It is superior to either voluntary unionism, which often lead to management unilateralism, or compulsory unionism, where workers are compelled to join unions against their will. | |||||||||
| Keywords | No keywords specified (fix it) | |||||||||
| Categories | ||||||||||
| Options |
|
|||||||||
Download options| PhilPapers Archive |
Upload a copy of this paper Check publisher's policy on self-archival Papers currently archived: 5,679 |
| External links |
 |
| Through your library | Configure |
Similar books and articlesXiaomin Yu (2008). Impacts of Corporate Code of Conduct on Labor Standards: A Case Study of Reebok's Athletic Footwear Supplier Factory in China. Journal of Business Ethics 81 (3):513 - 529.
Seumas Miller & Michael J. Selgelid (2007). Ethical and Philosophical Consideration of the Dual-Use Dilemma in the Biological Sciences. Science and Engineering Ethics 13 (4).
Allard E. Dembe (2009). Ethical Issues Relating to the Health Effects of Long Working Hours. Journal of Business Ethics 84:195 - 208.
Harry Targ (2006). Class and Race in the USA Labor Movement. Radical Philosophy Today 3:33-44.
Susan H. Higgins (1996). Towards Taming the Labor-Management Frontier: A Strategic Marketing Framework. Journal of Business Ethics 15 (4):475 - 485.
Harry J. Van Buren & Michelle Greenwood (2008). Enhancing Employee Voice: Are Voluntary Employer-Employee Partnerships Enough? Journal of Business Ethics 81 (1):209 - 221.
Harry J. Van Buren & Michelle Greenwood (2008). Enhancing Employee Voice: Are Voluntary Employer–Employee Partnerships Enough? Journal of Business Ethics 81 (1).
Norman A. Solomon & Rebecca A. Grant (1983). Canadian Trade Unionism and Wage Parity for Women: Putting the Principle Into Practice. Journal of Business Ethics 2 (3):213 - 219.
Paul Moreno (2008). Organized Labor and American Law: From Freedom of Association to Compulsory Unionism. Social Philosophy and Policy 25 (2):22-52.
Analytics
Monthly downloads |
Added to index2009-01-28Total downloads5 ( #160,368 of 549,087 )Recent downloads (6 months)1 ( #63,317 of 549,087 )How can I increase my downloads? |
My notes
Discussion
