Countries of the World/COUNTRYS.BIN/dp/0389/03894.txt

Text File | 1991-06-25 | 15KB | 284 lines

$Unique_ID{COW03894}
$Pretitle{444}
$Title{United States of America
Special Interest Groups}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{United States Information Service}
$Affiliation{United States Government}
$Subject{million
women
unions
workers
labor
united
american
groups
states
organizations}
$Date{1991}
$Log{}
Country:     United States of America
Book:        This is America
Author:      United States Information Service
Affiliation: United States Government
Date:        1991

Special Interest Groups

Labor and Labor Unions

     Most American workers today get vacations and holidays with pay, receive
unemployment insurance and retirement pay, and are protected against sickness
and injury while on the job. They also earn far more money than they did in
the past. Many of these advances result from the efforts of their own trade
unions.

     While scattered groups of workers tried to form trade unions soon after
the United States became a nation, the first major labor organization was not
started until 1869. What had been a secret society of Philadelphia garment
workers grew into a consolidated union called the Knights of Labor, which by
1886 had a membership of nearly one million. However, this labor organization
grew too fast, and its social and political aims became so confused that it
ended up doing very little to help the worker.

     The situation changed in 1881 when the Federation of Organized Trades
and Labor Unions was begun under the leadership of Samuel Gompers, president
of the Cigar Makers' Union. By 1886 it had become the American Federation of
Labor (AFL). Gompers fought for trade unionism free from political and other
outside influences, and built the AFL into America's major labor
organization.

     In 1935 a dispute arose among the AFL leaders over whether to
continue to organize workers in mass-production industries into separate
"craft" unions for each specific category or into large unions covering
all workers in an entire industry. This split led to the formation of the
Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) with representatives from the
United Mine Workers, the United Auto Workers and other international
unions, including steel, radio and rubber workers. Twenty years later, the
CIO had nearly 5 million members in its 34 unions.

     In 1955 the AFL and CIO joined together to form the American Federation
of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). George Meany
was chosen president of the combined organization. The AFL-CIO now has more
than 13 million members; another nine million workers are in unions not
affiliated with the AFL-CIO.

     U.S. laws support the right of workers to organize unions of their own
choice and to bargain collectively with their employers. The 22.8 million
union members belong to 205 nationwide unions that operate through 53,000
local unions.

     The AFL-CIO is active in the world labor movement as an affiliate of the
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), which has a
membership of some 83 million workers in 136 affiliated organizations in 95
countries and territories.

American Women

     In the 20th century, women in America have achieved substantial gains in
terms of social and economic equality with men-particularly in the present
generation. Statistically, they outnumber men (by about 51.4 to 48.6 percent)
and they live longer. An American woman can choose virtually any career she
wants, and increasing numbers are entering the fields of law, medicine and
government.

     Politics is especially appealing to women who wish to effect social
changes. Since 1916, 120 women have served in the Congress of the United
States. Seven women have been governors of their states, and nine have been
presidential cabinet officers. In 1981, Sandra Day O'Connor became the first
woman to serve as a justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

     During the current congressional session 23 women are serving elected
terms in the House of Representatives, and two women are U.S. Senators.
Nine hundred ninety-three women represent their constituents in state
legislatures, and many hold important positions in national, state and local
governments.

     About 48 percent of the total labor force is female. The largest group
of women workers-almost 15 million-is employed in offices as clerks and
secretaries; more than five million work in industrial plants. Women comprise
64 percent of medical and other health workers, 70 percent of teachers in
elementary and secondary schools and 98 percent of stenographers, typists and
secretaries. Some American women are top business executives, and many own
businesses. The science professions are attracting more women than ever
before.

     Recent years have seen a rapid increase in the number of women joining
the paid labor force. Today, almost 54 percent of all women of working age are
employed. Over 50 percent of working women are married, and 60 percent of
working wives have school-age children. In order to develop their careers,
working women often marry later and have fewer children. Although husbands are
increasingly sharing in housework, many women still carry a double load as
they continue to fulfill their traditional responsibilities for homemaking and
child rearing.

     Women have demonstrated particular dedication, competence and skill in
voluntary social activities. They have brought about changes in the social
service delivery system, and created large organizations, many associated with
international groups having similar aims. Among these are the General
Federation of Women's Clubs, the League of Women Voters and the American
Association of University Women. Women in business and the professions have
formed organizations to help their economic positions.

     Many feminist groups have organized in recent years as a result of the
"women's movement." Concerned with sex discrimination, they reach into every
region of the nation. Among the most influential are: National Organization
for Women (NOW), the National Women's Political Caucus and the Women's Equity
Action League.

Youth

     Young people in the United States have a wide variety of interests apart
from their school work. As children, both boys and girls play many of the same
games. They swim, play baseball and basketball, go boating and camping, and
have fun in many kinds of sports and outdoor activities.

     Numerous youth organizations give young people a chance to develop and
broaden their interests, and to gain experience in working with others. Among
these groups are the Boy Scouts, which serves more than four million boys, the
Girl Scouts, with nearly three million girls, and the Boys' Clubs of America,
with over one million participants. These and other groups are guided by
adults who volunteer their services. Civic, cultural and religious groups also
sponsor special programs for young people.

     In farm areas, boys and girls learn to work together in agriculture,
homemaking and citizenship activities through more than 158,360 4-H Chapters
which have about 4,420,932 members. In these clubs youths compete for prizes
in raising farm animals and growing crops.

     Secondary schools offer students a wide variety of activities to develop
talents and skills. There are clubs for photography, music, theater, art,
stamp collecting, natural science and debating. Often schools have orchestras,
bands and singing groups as well as a variety of competitive sports for both
boys and girls.

     Most schools and colleges have some form of student government with
elections to choose class representatives. These elected officers speak for
their fellow students at student council meetings with teachers and school
officials. They also organize social activities and take part in such
community projects as raising money for public welfare.

     Many young people hold part-time jobs after school hours. Thousands earn
money delivering newspapers or helping care for infants and young children in
private homes. Later, when the