In a response posts discuss how the ‘policy or Supreme Court decision’ presented was initiated (i.e., made into a ‘law’).
Response #1:A benefit of unions from the workers perspective is that they serve as the workers primary line of defense against efforts by profit-seeking firms to hold down wages and benefits (OpenStax, ch. 14.3). Union workers often earn more than nonunion workers about 20% more in some comparisons, which makes union membership appealing. A drawback is reduced individual flexibility because unions require employers to negotiate with workers collectively rather than as individuals, which is an time consuming task getting everyone to agree on a decision.
From the firms perspective, unions can improve employee retention and reduce turnover, which helps with staffing stability and future planning. A major drawback is that higher union wages can reduce profits if productivity does not rise. As OpenStax notes, If worker unionization does not increase productivity, then the higher wage will cause lower profits or losses for the firm (OpenStax, ch. 14.3). Essentially, if labor costs increase without an increase in output or efficiency, the firm may experience lower profits or even losses.
A relevant Supreme Court decision related to labor law is Janus v. AFSCME (2018). In this case, Mark Janus, a public employee in Illinois, argued that he should not have to pay agency fees to a public-sector union if he did not join it. The Supreme Court agreed and ruled that public employees cannot be forced to pay those fees (Oyez). Relating this to OpenStaxs point that unions help workers bargain for wages and benefits (OpenStax, ch. 14.3), a benefit for workers is that nonmembers are not required to pay money to a union they do not support. A drawback is that unions may have less funding, which can weaken their ability to negotiate for better pay and benefits for workers overall (OpenStax, ch. 14.3). For employers a possible benefit is less pressure from unions during bargaining. A possible drawback is that relationships at work could become more tense if the union is weaker and disputes are harder to settle.
OpenStax. Principles of Microeconomics 3e. OpenStax, ch. 14.3, https://openstax.org/books/principles-microeconomics-3e/pages/14-3-market-power-on-the-supply-side-of-labor-markets-unions. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
Oyez. Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 31. Oyez, IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, https://www.oyez.org/cases/2017/16-1466. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
Responses #2:A labor union is an organization of workers that negotiates with employers over wages and working conditions through allowing multiple employees to stand together against employers regarding issues (Shapiro et al. ch. 14.3). However, there are many mixed views regarding labor unions. For workers, unions generally provide higher wages and opportunities for skill and expertise development for its members compared to non-union workers (Shapiro et al. ch. 14.3). However, they can also lead to the decline of firms in the field willing to employ more union workers in the long term due to the higher wages and other factors for union workers that firms may not deem equal to the workers productivity (Shapiro et al. ch. 14.3). For firms, unions provide a source for generally higher productivity and more experienced workers compared to non-union workers, however, unions might conflict with firms in decisions regarding technology, wages, or other decisions that firms make that may benefit them more compared to union workers (Shapiro et al. ch. 14.3).
Just like how labor unions have mixed views, Supreme Court decisions regarding labor laws do too. One example is in the case of Epic Systems Corp. V. Lewis which ruled in favor of employers, stating that they can legally enforce employment agreements requiring individual arbitration and waiving the right to bring class or collective actions under the Federal Arbitration Act (Team). This doesnt provide any benefits for employees, as this means they cannot join with colleagues in a single lawsuit, even when facing widespread issues such as systemic wage theft as they can only handle these issues individually with their employer (Team). However, for employers, this means they can legally prevent large class action lawsuits from employees from arising through employment agreements (Team). Therefore, this case severely undermined employees power compared to employers/firms, which goes against labor union goals (Team).
Shapiro, David, et al. 14.3 Market Power on the Supply Side of Labor Markets: Unions – Principles of Microeconomics 3e | OpenStax. Openstax.org, 14 Dec. 2022, openstax.org/books/principles-microeconomics-3e/pages/14-3-market-power-on-the-supply-side-of-labor-markets-unions. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
Team, LegalClarity. The Supreme Courts Decision in Epic Systems Corp. V. Lewis. LegalClarity, 21 July 2025, legalclarity.org/the-supreme-courts-decision-in-epic-systems-corp-v-lewis/. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
No AI or Plagiarism
Requirements: contain at least 100-150 words
Get this or a similar paper done in as fast as 4 hours, 24/7.
NB: We do not sell prewritten papers. All essays are written from scratch according to specific needs and instructions
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.