Why do we need unions since we have a U.S. Dept. of Labor?

[wardell]

Both on the national and on many state levels.

The Dept. of Labor has eight major specialized divisions: the Bureau of International Labor Affairs, the Employment and Training Administration, the Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, the Employment Standards Administration, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Veterans' Employment and Training Service. A ninth division, the Office of the American Workplace, established in 1993, was terminated when congress failed to provide the necessary appropriations. The Bureau of International Labor Affairs deals with the interaction among U.S. foreign policy, foreign labor developments, and U.S. labor developments. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, a direct descendant of the 1884 Bureau of Labor, gathers data in the field of labor economics. The agencies of the Employment Standards Administration administer federal labor legislation and the administration conducts research to support their programs; the agencies (and the legislation they administer) include the Wage and Hour Division (minimum wage and fringe benefits) and the Office of Worker's Compensation Programs (compensation for job-related injuries). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is responsible for ensuring the best possible U.S. working conditions in terms of safety and health. The Women's Bureau promotes the employment, efficiency, and welfare of wage-earning women.

http://www.answers.com/topic/united-states-department-of-labor

http://www.dol.gov/

[porter]

We don't need either of them anymore. Let the businesses run themselves. Give them some oversight, but not much. Businesses usually don't become successful due to the government, the government usually becomes successful due to businesses.

It should not be the Union's responsibility to get you a raise people! It is your own responsibility to earn a raise. My income has increased 344% in the past 8 years by working my tail off, not by some criminal organization forcing my bosses to give me raises. I have earned every one of them.

[iker]

A lot of the things the working class has today are thanks to the Unions- 40 hour work week, safer working conditions, etc.

We need unions for the same reason as we need a military, despite the fact that America has never been attacked by another country since Pearl Harbor.

[eadweald71]

Easy.

Unions are "trade-specific" (sheet metal worker's union, electrician's union, auto worker unions, etc.), where the dept. of labor's responsibilities cover all the jobs, employers, employees in the country.

Unions, though imperfect, are able to more adequately address the needs of the people in the specific trades they represent than government ever could.

[tiernan]

I have given this careful thought. We need to get rid of all of these departments and the unions, and start all over. I think all government agencies and departments should have a seven year shelf life. If they were really beneficial, some congressman would bring them back. If not they would fall by the wayside.

[torin7]

The reason that we still have unions today is to protect mediocre workers from being replaced with people who are willing to work. What is funny, is that some professionals are unionizing more such as Professors at college campuses like ten year is not enough for them.

[alleyne]

Unions are left over from the days before there was any oversight on worker safety. Today with federal and state OHSA, labor boards, etc they are unneeded.

[nemausus36]

We dont need unions, they have overstayed there welcome, just like Affirmative action, NAACP, and the ACLU!!!!!

[adin55]

No government bureaucracy can replace collective bargaining.

[hagaleah]

Because Unions are the best way to bankrupt companies and destroy shareholder wealth.