Corporate Accountability SP11

Economics -> American Capitalism and Social Justice Spring 11

When the choice is between people or profit, the answer should be an easy one. However, for multinational corporations whose ultimate goal is to maximize profit, it is not always so simple. Today, our society is under increasing threat from corporate abuses. This threat has prompted many scholars as well as organizations and campaigns to challenge the issue of Corporate Accountability.

Scholars

Yates

Why Unions Matter

In his book Why Unions Matter, Michael Yates uses simple terms to answer basic questions about the function and formation of unions, the process of collective bargaining, and the relationship between unions and American politics. He begins by explaining that unions provide solidarity and allow worker’s demands to be met as a group when they would have likely been ignored otherwise. This solidarity provides not only a wage advantage but also enhanced grievance procedures, benefits, and dignity for the American worker. <ref name="Yates"> Yates, Michael D. (2009). Why Unions Matter. New York, NY: Monthly Review Press. </ref>

Yates also addresses the allegation of the corrupt nature of unions by saying that although there have been cases of illegal activities, generally unions leaders are elected by their members and accountable to them. He argues that this model of democracy marks the vast contrast to the lack of democracy of corporations. <ref name="Yates" />

In the last chapter, Yates identifies that the core of the labor agenda are the right to employment, the democratic control of production, more leisure time, reduced income gap, and an end to discrimination in the workplace. <ref name="Yates" /> He also suggests that even though some of these elements are included in the Democratic agenda, the labor movement might need more sympathetic allies from the Labor Party, which is currently weak and has no chance of winning an election. <ref name="Yates" /> Yates’ idea of labor movement reform calls for significant support from a stronger political party to fight for the rights of American workers.

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This line of content will have a reference at the bottom of the page <ref>E. Miller, The Sun, (New York: Academic Press, 2005), 23-5.</ref>

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