Thus, in this country the government has procured labor relations so that it "should not attempt to interfere with market forces by fixing the terms of employment…" (Aaron, 1982, p. 1254). It attempt to keep a free market, in which individuals can capitalize off of the labor for others without suitably compensating them, or providing the aforementioned benefits that Europe does for its workers, encourages the continual prosperity of the government and the huge, multinational corporations that keep its economy thriving. However, the workers are the ones who are capitalized on -- which goes a long way towards supporting Aaron's argument that labor relations in this country are inferior to those of Europe, especially for the common worker.
After critically examining Aaron's argument, there are several points one can find in it that suggest that labor relations are better in Europe than in the America. One is the perception of labor unions, whose job it is to collectively bargain with an employer to attempt to achieve basic fundamental rights for the laborers. One cannot argue that there is a wide acceptance of labor unions in Europe, whereas it is difficult for unions to infiltrate and maintain their presence in certain industries in the U.S. This is due to the notion of volunteerism, "the philosophy that economic and social gains must be achieved without interference or aid from the government" (Aaron, 1982, p. 1251). The lack of aid...
is because of laws that govern them. In the U.S., unions that do collectively bargain do so for members as well as employees who have not joined. As such, there is reduced motivation for employees to join unions. Aaron points out that this issue of "union security…remains a major issue in our labor relations system" (p. 1253), whereas in Europe it is not a problem at all. There, unions are supported by the government, which assist the workers in achieving basic rights.
In summary, I am convinced of Aaron's point that labor relations in Europe are superior to those domestically. There is government aid for unions in Europe as opposed to volunteerism, there are major problems with union security in the U.S. And none in Europe -- both of which means unions can procure basic rights for workers that require a contract -- and capitalism at its finest -- to attain in the U.S.
References
Benjamin, a. (1982). "Labor relations law from the United States from a Comparative perspective." Washington and Lee Law Review. 39 (4): 1247-1265.
Sinclair, U. (1981). The Jungle. New York: Bantam Classic.
