Labour+Standards+and+Unions

=Labour Standards:=

Throughout the beginning of the 19th century, the classical values and beliefs of classical liberalism brought great freedoms to entrepreneurs, such as factory owners, investors and other leaders of industry. This freedom for the entrepreneurs had a great impact on the quality of the products being produced and this quality provided better conditions for most members of society. These freedoms were created by the development of labour laws to establish the labour standards. Although these initial labour standards were developed by the government in collaboration with the capitalists, without the influence of the workers themselves. The workers desired an equal voice that reflected their needs and own perspectives.

Labour standards have been constantly changed and edited throughout the development of the conditions of workers. Minimum wages, laws and rules have been established to preserve the rights of the workers.

Although labour standards differ throughout separate nations based upon the heavy influence that the government has on establishing these standards. This difference of standards has an impact on the freedom of the workers and the freedom of the entrepreneurs, which has a direct impact on the quality of production. For example, in China, workers (compared to Canada) are exploited, being paid less, and being forced to work more to be able to keep up an income to provide shelter and food for their families. This represents that the labour laws present within China differ from those in Canada, solely based upon the government influence that each country has on the economy and corporations.

The differing labour standards bring out international issues debating whether everyone, everywhere should have the same work freedoms as everyone else, protected by international law. The ILO is an international organization that creates international labour standards to promote decent work for all. The ILO stands for the International Labour Organization. The ILO has four primary objectives:
 * Promoting rights and realizing standards and fundamental principles at rights at work
 * Create greater opportunities for men and women to decent employment and income
 * Enhance social protection for all
 * Strengthen tripartism and social dialogue

Tripartism is the process of combining the government, employers and employees into debates to establish fair and just worker standards and rights. The ILO aims to eliminate abuse in the workforce of every nation in the world by providing fair, equal rights and productive work for both men and women.


 * Unions: **

A union, otherwise known as a trade union or a labour union, is a group composed of individual workers, past workers, professionals, or the unemployed who have banned together to achieve common goals of the collective and for the purpose of “maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment.”
 * What are they?**

A trade/labour union bans together to organize goals collectively and if they have the status of "juristic person", bargain with their employer for better employment conditions such as better working conditions, higher wages, promotion of worker benefits, work rules and policies, and workplace safety.
 * What do they do?**

The union uses collective bargaining to try and achieve their goals and desires. If the demands of a union with "juristic person" status aren’t met to their satisfaction, the union may threaten to use industrial action until their requests are met, such as to go on strike.
 * How to they do it?**

By bargaining with their employer, a union with "juristic person" status may achieve a provision of benefits to insure its members against ill health, unemployment, and funeral and old age expenses. It is not uncommon that the union would bargain for higher wages, better working conditions, promotion of worker benefits, respect in the workplace, work rules and policies, and workplace safety.
 * Why do they do it?**

The formation of the International Labour Organization in 1919 as a part of the League of Nations along with the addition of two articles on labor in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 helped support the idea of unions because they both supported the idea of healthy and fair working conditions, protection against unemployment, equal pay for equal work, and a non-discriminatory workplace.
 * What has made unions possible?**

In 1955 the American Federation of Labour and the Congress of Industrial Organization merged together to "bring social and economic justice to our nation by enabling working people to have a voice on the job, in government, in a changing global economy and in their communities." This new partnership was composed of 2.5 million working Americans and 8.5 million other members that formed 56 national and intercontinental labour unions.

The largest trade union federation worldwide is the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). This Brussels based union federation is composed of approximately 309 companies in 156 different countries and territories, this makes up a total combined membership of 166 million. This trade union federation helps support the desires and demands in the workplace of millions of people and promotes the benefirs of unionizing around the globe.

One of the most significant events in the history of trade/labour unions to date is the evident support of unionizing in the statement that “everyone has the right to form and join trade unions for the protection of his interests” in Article 23 of the International Declaration of Human Rights.

Connection to Liberalism:
Labour standards are directly connected to Liberalism because they advocate equal rights and liberties for everyone in the workforce, regardless of age, gender and experience. Labour standards are in place to protect the rights and freedoms of workers and to ensure that everyone is treated with equality, which is a key principle of liberalism. The many international corportations that stand for the support of worker rights and equal labour standards back up the ideas of free and fair elections by allowing the government, employers and employees the right to make decisions based upon everyone's demands and needs.

It is clear that Liberalism supports equality, liberty, and human rights. Interestingly enough, these three aspects are also the fundamental principles of trade/labour unions. Equal rights of all human beings, the freedom of speech and expression, as well as the fulfillment of basic human rights are all supported by trade/labour unions in ones workplace, and Liberalism in and out of ones place of employment.

ILO. "About the ILO." //302 Found//. ILO, Jan.-Feb. 2012. Web. 06 Mar. 2012. <[].>

Labour Canada. "Employment Standards." //Object Moved//. Government of Canada, Aug.-Sept. 2011. Web. 05 Mar. 2012. <[]>

Guo, Baogang. "China's Labor Standards: Myths and Realities by Baogang Guo | Papers by Baogang." //China's Labor Standards: Myths and Realities (Baogang Guo)//. Baogang Guo, 7 Feb. 2003. Web. 06 Mar. 2012. [|

Wiki. "Trade Union." //Wikipedia//. Wikimedia Foundation, 03 June 2012. Web. 06 Mar. 2012.< [].>

Isitt, Benjamin. "The Hospital Employees Union Strike and the Privatization of Medicare." //The Hospital Employeesâ Union Strike and the Privatization of Medicare//. Melissa Moroz, Spring 2007. Web. 06 Mar. 2012. [|