Norma Rae and Labor Conflict Essay examples - 879 Words

Norma Rae and Labor Conflict Labor conflict is strongly portrayed in Norma Rae, especially since in the second half of the 20th century labor unions were taken for granted as a basic workers right (even as membership declined). Norma Rae both emphasizes the power unemployment has over the worker and shows the power that unions can have in the capitalist system. Companies want to control every aspect of the labor process because they need to make profits, and the way in which they control the labor process in Norma Rae (in an attempt to manipulate worker behavior) infringes on basic human rights. Norma Rae, however, has never behaved, and it is her strength and gumption that bring humanity (and a labor union) to the O.P. Henley Mill.†¦show more content†¦Unions are the biggest threat to the O.P. Henley factory because they give workers more control over their pay and working conditions. If a union treats all members as equals, there is less chance for arguments among workers that might give managers mor e power over a divided work force. The more power workers have through their union, the less control the managers have over the labor process (215). Norma Rae is the O. P. Henley company’s worst nightmare. She has never been a silent, accommodating worker, always complaining for worker privileges and safety, whether it be a Kotex machine in the restroom or her mother’s temporary loss of hearing. A tactic which companies use to control workers like Norma Rae is bureaucratic control; the company promotes Norma Rae to a less strenuous, better paying job in order to quiet her down, and by assigning this job, where Norma Rae is a speed up supervisor, the company actually makes more profits because Norma Rae’s position requires her to generate more work from the other employees (207). When the threat of unionization among the textile workers seems greatest, the O.P. Henley Mill manipulates the racial tensions at the mill to create divisions among the workers. Companies use discrimination and the social concept of race to stimulate and reinforce divisions among workers. (217) In this case, management threatens to hire moreShow MoreRelatedNorma Rae: Labor Unions and the Power Struggle3039 Words   |  13 PagesIntroduction Labor unions were established as a way for workers’ needs and grievances to be heard by management. According to Fossum (2012), â€Å"forming a union creates a collective voice to influence change at work† (p. 7). The collective voice of workers in a union holds much more power than any single employee’s voice. It can loudly draw attention to mistreatment or abuse of workers. The organized collective voice of workers demands to be treated in a fair way by its management in terms ofRead MoreEssay on Norma Rae a Labor Analysis1768 Words   |  8 PagesNorma Rae a Labor Analysis This film is based on the real life story of Crystal Lee Sutton and her involvement with Ruben Warshovsky and the organization of the textile workers at the J.P. Stevens Company in Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina (Labor Films). Sally Field plays the lead role of Norma Rae (Crystal Lee Sutton) fighting poor working conditions at O. P. Henley Company in 1978. This company is a southern textile mill, working with a union organizer to overcome pressure from management