NESEP Archive

Abstract: This paper will examine the effect of critical moments in the American history of unionization on today’s political and economic landscapes pertaining to labor unions; numerous acts, such as the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 have legitimized union activities. Upon examination, this paper will analyze how the modern political and economic landscapes regarding American labor unions impact the effectiveness of organizing; unethical employer tactics decrease the likelihood of success for unions. Lastly, this essay inspects the possible benefits of specific actions that could be taken to strengthen the labor movement. In 1935, the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) was signed into law marking a significant moment in the history of American unions as workers’ right to unionize was legitimized. In 1947, a different shift in the landscape of unions occurred under the Taft-Hartley Act which restricted certain union activities in some states. 

In recent times, the economic and political landscapes pertaining to labor unions have been plagued by numerous factors creating an uphill battle for organizing workers. However, in 2021, the US House of Representatives passed the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, restricting the egregious methods commonly applied by employers to oppose unions. It was observed that attempts to unionize were generally met with employer retaliation. Varying unethical tactics were employed to dissuade workers from unionizing, such as holding mandatory anti-union meetings and excessive stalling. Such attempts were generally fruitful due to a paucity of sufficient punishment.

As unions are helpful in combating the mistreatment of workers and provide a stronger say for employees in voicing their needs, I believe there should be more legal repercussions for those who violate labor law.

Keywords: Labor unions, Labor law reform, Political landscape, Harvard Labor Reform Project’s proposal, Labor law policies

References

1. Block, S. & Sachs, B. (2019). Executive Summary of Clean slate for worker power. Clean Slate for Worker Power. Retrieved August 10, 2022, from https://www.cleanslateworkerpower.org/

2. A Brief History of Labor, Race and Solidarity. Labor Commission on Racial and Economic Justice. (2017, January 13). Retrieved August 10, 2022, from https://racial-justice.aflcio.org/blog/est-aliquid-se-ipsum-flagitiosum-etiamsi-nulla

3. A Brief History of Unions. Union Plus. Retrieved August 10, 2022, from https://www.unionplus.org/page/brief-history-unions 

4. Conerly, B. (2022, Feb). Starbucks with Labor Unions: Lessons for Other Business. Retrieved. Forbes.  August 10, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/billconerly/2022/02/22/starbucks-with-labor-unions-lessons-for-other-business/?sh=4bcfad4c4e84

5. Goldfield, M., & Bromsen, A. (2013). The changing landscape of US unions in historical and Theoretical Perspective. Annual Review of Political Science, 16(1), 231-257. doi:10.1146/annurev-polisci-032211-214003

6. Hafiz, H. (2021). Structural labor rights. Michigan Law Review, (119.4), 651. doi:10.36644/mlr.119.4.structural

7. Jorgenson, K. (2017). Labor Law for Whom? Interest Group Politics and the Wagner Act. Retrieved August 10, 2022, from https://digitalcommons.tacoma.uw.edu/ppe_prize/9

8. Lafer, G., & Loustaunau, L. (2020, July). Fear at work. Economic Policy Institute. https://files.epi.org/pdf/202305.pdf

9. Paschal, O. (2021, Mar). The Pro Act would undo decades of southern anti-union laws rooted in racism. Retrieved August 10, 2022, from https://www.facingsouth.org/2021/03/pro-act-would-undo-decades-southern-anti-union-laws-rooted-racism

10. Poydock, M., Mangundayao, I., McNicholas, C., & Schmitt, J. (2022, Feb). Data show major strike activity increased in 2021 but remains below pre-pandemic levels: Many worker actions were not captured in the data. Economic Policy Institute. Retrieved August 10, 2022, from https://www.epi.org/publication/2021-work-stoppages/

11. The Pro Act: Bad for Workers, Bad for Businesses. (2021, Mar). Retrieved August 10, 2022, from https://www.rpc.senate.gov/policy-papers/the-pro-act-bad-for-workers-bad-for-businesses

12. Noor, M..  (2022, June). How would the looming recession impact strides in the labor market? Prism. Retrieved August 10, 2022, from https://prismreports.org/2022/06/23/looming-recession-impact-labor-market/

13. Rosenbaum, E. The Amazon, Starbucks, Apple Union Push Is Capturing What a Majority of All American Workers Now Say They Want. (2022, June), from https://www.cnbc.com/2022/06/02/majority-of-american-workers-want-more-unionization-at-their-own-jobs.html

Abstract: In 2015, Flint Michigan changed water sources from Lake Huron to the Flint River, which had water lead levels [15], correlated with blood lead levels [17]. Lead is highly neurotoxic [19], lowering grey matter volume [5]. Due to a lack of data from Flint, fMRI scans (after 2015) from Los Angeles, New York City, and Philadelphia were analyzed with voxel-based morphometry in spm12. Grey matter volumes were stratified by gender. Significant differences were found between average grey matter and water lead levels (p<0.00001). Philadelphia, with the highest lead levels (3.0 ppb), had significantly lower grey matter volume than all other cities. All locations had significantly lower volume than the control, demonstrating the impact of water lead. There were significant differences between cities of varied water lead concentrations. Philadelphia and Flint had the highest water lead levels, at 3.0 ppb, allowing Philadelphia to be used as a possible model for Flint.

Keywords: Flint, lead, water lead, blood lead, blood-brain barrier, grey matter volume, fMRI, spm12, voxel-based morphometry, model, toxicity

References

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2. Giddens, Thomas, ed. (2015). Graphic Justice: Intersections of Comics and Law. Routledge. ISBN 9781317658382.

3. Brugue, Lydia; Llompart, Auba (2020). Contemporary Fairy-Tale Magic: Subverting Gender and Genre. Leiden: BRILL. p. 196. ISBN 978-90-04-41898-1.

4. Cattoi, Thomas; Odorisio, David M. (2018). Depth Psychology and Mysticism. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 72. ISBN 978-3-319-79096-1.

5. Singh, Greg (2014). Film After Jung: Post-Jungian Approaches to Film Theory. New York: Routledge. p. 127. ISBN 9780415430890.

6. Frank, Adam (2009). The Constant Fire: Beyond the Science vs. Religion Debate. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 211. ISBN 978-0-520-25412-1.

7. Stevens, Anthony (1999). On Jung: Updated Edition (2nd ed.). Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. p. 215. ISBN 069101048X. OCLC 41400920.

8. Stevens, Anthony (2015). Living Archetypes: The selected works of Anthony Stevens. Oxon: Routledge. p. 141. ISBN 978-1-317-59562-5.

9.  Jung, Emma; Franz, Marie-Luise von (1998). The Grail Legend. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. p. 36. ISBN 0-691-00237-1.

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11. Joseph Henderson, "Ancient Myths and Modern Man", in Jung ed., Symbols p. 123

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13. a b Stevens, Anthony (2015-06-29). Archetype Revisited: An Updated Natural History of the Self. London: Routledge. doi:10.4324/9781315740515. ISBN 978-1-315-74051-5.

Abstract: In this experiment  working with Chromium and Eisenia fetida studying the health and behaviors of Eisenia fetida and how Chromium will affect their behaviors when exposed to Chromium. Other researchers that have done similar research showed that their Eisenia fetida have died because of being exposed to too much Chromium or in other experiments they did not have an outcome because the Eisenia fetida was not exposed to enough Chromium. The Eisenia fetida will be exposed to Chromium for about 2 weeks. The worms  will be monitored. The habitat of the Eisenia fetida is moist soil, although some Eisenia fetida actually prefer mud, such as the mud that is found along the shores of lakes or swamps. Eisenia fetida can be found in the soil of backyards as well as near bodies of fresh and saltwater.  When the  Eisenia Fetida arrive  there will be an enclosure for them to be in. Earthworms eat soil. Their nutrition comes from things in soil, such as decaying roots and leaves. The entire surface of a worm's body absorbs oxygen and releases carbon dioxide. Moisture Eisenia Fetida moves  by squeezing muscles around their water- filled bodies. The Earthworms  will lose weight  when being exposed to Chromium. They will also shrink and the regeneration process for the earthworms will slow down. This shows how Chromium does have an effect on Eisenia fetida  and can cause the worms to have different effects.

References

1. Burlinson, B., Tice, R.R., Speit, G., Agurell, E., Brendler-Schwaab, S.Y., Collins, A.R., Escobar, P., Honma, M., Kumaravel, T.S., Nakajima, M., Sasaki, Y.F., Thybaud, E., Uno, Y., Vasquez, M., Hartmann, A., 2007. Fourth international workgroup on genotoxicity testing: results of in vivo comet assay workgroup. Mutat. Res.

2. Ching, E.W.K., Siu, W.H.L., Lam, P.K.S., Xu, L., Zhang, Y., Richardson, B.J., Wu, R.S.S., 2001. DNA adduct formation and DNA strand breaks in green-lipped mussels (Perna viridis) exposed to benzo[a]pyrene: dose- and time-dependent relationships. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 42, 603–610. Cotelle, S., Ferard, J.-F., 1999. Comet assay in genetic ecotoxicology: a review. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 34, 246–255.

3. Di Marzio, W.D., Saenz, M.E., Lemière, S., Vasseur, P., 2005. Improved single-cell gel electrophoresis assay for detecting DNA damage in Eisenia foetida. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 46, 246–252. Fourie, F., Reinecke, S.A., Reinecke, A.J., 2007. The determination of earthworm species sensitivity differences to cadmium genotoxicity using the comet assay. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf. 67, 361–368. 

4. Di Palma, L., Gueye, M.T., Petrucci, E., 2015. Hexavalent chromium reduction in contaminated soil : a comparison
   between ferrous sulfate and nanoscale zero-valent iron. J. Hazard Mater. 70–76.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2014.07.058.

5. Dong, H., Deng, J., Xie, Y., Zhang, C., Jiang, Z., Cheng, Y., Hou, K., Zeng, G., 2017.Stabilization of nanoscale
   zero-valent iron (nZVI) with modified biochar for Cr(VI)removal from aqueous solution. Journal of Hazardous Materials.
   Elsevier B.V.

6. Inzunza, B., Orrego, R., Peñalosa, M., Gavilán, J.F., Barra, R., 2006. Analysis of CYP4501A1, PAHs metabolites in bile, and genotoxic damage in Oncorhynchus mykiss exposed to Biobío River sediments, Central Chile. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf. 65, 242–251. 

Abstract: The areas of the brain that become active when formulating a lie, or “deceit patterns, are denoted on fMRI scans, yielding results that are more accurate than the polygraph. Using publicly available court records and fMRI results obtained from previous literature, the extent to which fMRI scan evidence influences juror confidence, perceived strength of argument, and verdict counts between participants serving as mock jurors in a mock trial exposed to fMRI scan evidence and those not exposed to it were compared. Analysis of these metrics revealed that a mock juror’s exposure to fMRI evidence increases their perceived strength of the argument for the side consistent with their verdict and drastically changes the distribution of guilty versus not guilty verdicts. The difference in confidence levels between mock jurors in the control and experimental groups was not found to be statistically significant, however future research using a larger sample size may verify the current trend that viewing fMRI evidence increases juror confidence in their verdict. Although fMRI evidence possesses the potential to revolutionize the way juries lend weight to pieces of evidence, because it was found to cause such significant shifts in juror decision making, court judges should caution its admission into evidence or further scrutinize its credibility during evidentiary suppression hearings until it is deemed generally acceptable by the scientific community.

References

1. Amirian, J. (2013). Weighing the admissibility of f MRI technology under FRE 403: For the law, f MRI changes everything and nothing. Fordham Urban Law Journal, 41(2), 715-770.
2. Brown, T., & Murphy, E. (2010). Through a Scanner Darkly: Functional Neuroimaging as Evidence of a Criminal Defendant's Past Mental States. Stanford Law Review, 62(4), 1119-1208. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40649625
3. Disbrow, Elizabeth A., et al. "Functional MRI at 1.5 Tesla: A Comparison of the Blood Oxygenation Level-Dependent Signal and Electrophysiology." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 97, no. 17, 2000, pp. 9718–9723. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/123530. Accessed 5 Feb. 2020.
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11.  
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Abstract: 

SARS-CoV-2, a novel coronavirus also known as COVID-19, has caused a global pandemic, claiming the lives of over 3 million people, and counting. Governments and local polities have implemented public health mandates to reduce the spread, including mask-wearing, a policy that remains controversial. The aim of this study was to examine how effective strict enforcement of mask-wearing policies is in reducing COVID-19 infection rates. A total of 30 countries and subnational political jurisdictions were selected using Text Finder’s random choice generator, then sorted into three categories of mask enforcement: strict, moderate, and lax, characterized by punishments, non-enforcement, or lack of precautions. The percent changes in cases were recorded over a 3-month period prior to and after the declaration of mask mandates for each locality, then analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test to rank the three categories. The mean rankings from greatest to least were: lax (24.90), moderate (12.90), and strict (8.70). The Kruskal-Wallis test result was H(2)= 18.240, P=.000. Locations with stricter mask policies had lower infection rates. Therefore, it was concluded that strictly enforced mask policies were most effective in limiting COVID-19 transmission. Confounding variables include political agendas, the sway of public opinions, and a transient lack of data on COVID. Future research could analyze the effectiveness of mask enforcement in locations with different COVID-19 variants.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, masks, infection rates, mask enforcement, Kruskal-Wallis test

References

1. Front-line 'Special Forces' Share Candid Stories in University of Utah Health Podcast Series. American Hospital Association. (2020, August 27). https://www.aha.org/other-resources/2020-08-27-front-line-special-forces-share-candid-stories-university-utah-health. 

2. Gandhi, M., & Rutherford, G. W. (2020, October 29). Facial Masking for Covid-19 - Potential for "Variolation" as We Await a Vaccine: NEJM. New England Journal of Medicine. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmp2026913

3. Bai, N. (2020, September 2). Still Confused About Masks? Here's the Science Behind How Face Masks Prevent Coronavirus. Still Confused About Masks? Here's the Science Behind How Face Masks Prevent Coronavirus | UC San Francisco. https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2020/06/417906/still-confused-about-masks-heres-science-behind-how-face-masks-prevent.

4. Lyu, W., & Wehby, G. L. (2020, June 16). Community Use Of Face Masks And COVID-19: Evidence From A Natural Experiment Of State Mandates In The US. Health Affairs. https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00818. 

5. Leffler, C. T., Ing, E., Lykins, J. D., Hogan, M. C., McKeown, C. A., & Grzybowski, A. (2020, June 15). Association of country-wide coronavirus mortality with demographics, testing, lockdowns, and public wearing of masks.ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342198360_Association_of_country-wide_coronavirus_mortality_with_demographics_testing_lockdowns_and_public_wearing_of_masks_Update_June_15_2020. 

6. Brooks, J. T., & Butler, J. C. (2021, February 10). Effectiveness of Mask Wearing to Control Community Spread of SARS-CoV-2. JAMA. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2776536. 

7. Vaida, B. (2020, September 4). Pandemic Preparedness. CQ Researcher by CQ Press. http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2020090400. 

8. Arora, V. M., Jain, S., Ranney, M. L., & Burstin, H. (2020, August 5). The Case For A National Universal Masking Mandate. Health Affairs. https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20200804.515241/full/. 

9. DeSimone, D. C. (2021, March 23). COVID-19 variants: What's the concern? Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/expert-answers/covid-variant/faq-20505779. 

10. Howard, J., Huang, A., Li, Z., Tufekci, Z., Zdimal, V., Westhuizen, H.-M. van der, Delft, A. von, Price, A., Fridman, L., Tang, L.-H., Tang, V., Watson, G. L., Bax, C. E., Shaikh, R., Questier, F., Hernandez, D., Chu, L. F., Ramirez, C. M., & Rimoin, A. W. (2021, January 26). An evidence review of face masks against COVID-19. PNAS. https://www.pnas.org/content/118/4/e2014564118. 

11. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, June 15). SARS-CoV-2 Variant Classifications and Definitions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/variant-info.html.  

Abstract: African Americans are often viewed as a monolithic group in the United States because Black people generally have been subjected to the same racism and prejudice throughout American society. While African Americans have had many similar experiences in the United States, their opinions on the current political, social, and economic worldview may differ based on ethnic groups. The author chose to closely examine the extent to which family history and decade of one's arrival (or one's family's arrival) to the United States, and the region from which one (or one's family) originated, might influence the current political, social and economic worldview of adolescent and adult Americans who self-identify as Black. In order to study the effects of these variables, I administered surveys to 146 African American adults in suburban New York City. The online survey consisted of four parts. These parts included views on economic success, law enforcement, current events, specifically the Black Lives Matter Movement, and Black representation in American society. Ultimately the study found statistically significant differences between region/decade of arrival and societal world views. There were also gender gaps.

Keywords: African-American, representation, BLM, Afro-Caribbean, African, economic success

References

1. Bunyasi, T. L. (2019, February 6). Do All Black Lives Matter Equally to Black People? Respectability Politics and the Limitations of Linked Fate | Journal of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics. Cambridge Core. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-race-ethnicity-and-politics/article/do-all-black-lives-matter-equally-to-black-people-respectability-politics-and-the-limitations-of-linked-fate/CBC842CABC6F8FAA6C892B08327B09DA
2. Chetty, R., Hendren, N., Jones, M. R., & Porter, S. R. (2019, December 26). Race and Economic Opportunity in the United States: an Intergenerational Perspective*. OUP Academic. https://academic.oup.com/qje/article/135/2/711/5687353?login=true
3. Davis, R., & Hendricks, N. (2007, January 1). Immigrants and Law Enforcement: A Comparison of Native-Born and Foreign-Born Americans’ Opinions of the Police. International Review of Victimology. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/026975800701400105
4. Fan, Y. (2019, February 13). Gender and cultural bias in student evaluations: Why representation matters. Plos One.