Labor, Management, and Gender Dynamics in Professions and Unions

Why are women less likely to become managers than men?

Traditional gender roles and family responsibilities force women to choose between work and family.

How did American companies respond to foreign competition?

They made companies leaner, resulting in mass layoffs and ruthless leadership. Attempted to increase profits by reducing costs.

What is the difference between managerial capitalism and investor capitalism?

Managerial: managers were in charge of large corporations

Investor- outside investors became more powerful than managers

We can see this in how much of the stock market they control

-Pension funds, retirement funds, mutual funds

- Institutional investors originally owned maybe... 10% of the stock market initially

- Managerial power has slowly been overtaken by corporation (investor) power

What percentage of the stock market is controlled by institutional investors today?

Over 80%.

What did Roth's 2006 study find about women in the Wall Street Securities Industry?

Women moved from higher-paying to lower-paying jobs due to family demands.

Originally, men and women were equally distributed in jobs on Wall Street

As time passed, women gradually moved from more demanding jobs to less demanding jobs (higher paying -> lower paying) (or even leaving entirely)

This resulted in an obvious loss of pay

The reasons for this change was family demands, family pressure, caretaking pressures

This goes on to explain wage gaps in men and women-women often are stuck with lower paying jobs

What is the current state of managerial work?

It is insecure, less stable, and less predictable.

Tenure for jobs is down

Why do some believe medical residents should work long hours?

They think it helps gain skills and demonstrates dedication.

Through sacrifice, they will acquire the service ethic

Why do professions require lengthy training periods?

To acquire abstract knowledge (jargon, culture, language) that marks them as insiders, giving them status.

What is an example of autonomy in the professions?

Professionals train each other and review each other's work (peer review, professors, doctors all do this. EX: doctor viewing another doctor's surgery work, or a professor reviewing another professor's academic work)

They are free to decide who gets hired, promoted, fired.

And are free to spend their time how they like

Don't have many rules on the job

Do patients and clients seek second opinions?

It depends on their economic class. Most cannot afford to.

How do professionals gain public trust?

By earning high salaries, taking oaths, and volunteering services.

EX: Lawyers doing pro-bono work, or doctors taking oaths to prove their commitment to public service.

How are professionals controlled at work?

Through socialization and observing other professionals.

What is the up-or-out policy?

Professionals must prove their worth within a short period to avoid being fired.

Why do professionals work long hours?

Due to cheap labor demands and a service ethic. Pros feel like they "owe" their clients. Lack of boundaries (Home vs. work separation)

How do male and female professionals handle long hours differently?

Male professionals often rely on women for domestic responsibilities, while female professionals may delay family.

What is professional authority?

Professionals provide advice that customers are expected to follow.

What is service work?

Doing something for someone else rather than extracting resources or supervising.

What are soft skills?

Skills related to self-presentation and interaction, not practical abilities, integral for service jobs.

What is emotional labor?

Controlling emotions for money, either by showing feelings not felt or hiding true feelings.

Why are women more likely than men to work service jobs?

Service jobs often require traits seen as feminine, such as friendliness and support. Stereotypical

What are the positive and negative consequences of emotional labor?

Positive: rewarding, or fun; Negative: burnout and feeling inauthentic.

What are the risks of routinizing service work?

It can lead to artificial interactions and a loss of dignity. Workers use strategies to maintain control

Why has service work expanded?

Manufacturing offshoring, increased disposable income, and more women in the labor force.

Why are encounters with service workers uncomfortable for Americans?

Americans see themselves as egalitarian (belief in all are equal), creating status discomfort.

What does it mean to say service workers are treated as non-persons?

They are often viewed as less than equal to customers. Resulting in occasional beratement, and disrespect.

What are non persons?

People who aren't given full respect and are often treated like children or the elderly.

What is the financial value of tipping service workers?

A way to earn a living and for companies to keep costs down.

What is the symbolic value of tipping service workers?

A way for customers to evaluate workers and their character.

What challenges do service workers face?

They are likely to face abuse, especially those with lower status and age.

Which groups are more vulnerable to abuse as service workers?

Younger workers, women, women of color, and poorer individuals.

What gender differences exist in emotional labor?

Women often do nurturing jobs while men do jobs requiring authority. Even in the same job, women and men may do different emotional labor.

How do Las Vegas casino workers differ from other workers?

They tend to have better contracts, higher wages, and better benefits due to union membership.

What benefits do hotel and casino workers in Las Vegas receive?

Wages more than double the minimum wage, a guaranteed 40-hour work week, and health insurance.

Are unions still relevant today?

Yes, they boost wages and improve working conditions.

What percentage of private sector workers belong to unions?

Less than 8%.

What was the Longshoremen's strike of 1934?

A strike demanding union recognition that led to conflict and police intervention.

Battled cops for three months

On July 5th, conflict broke out, 2 workers killed, 31 injured

General strikes spread throughout the city

President had to step in and stop it

What are the two approaches to organizing workers?

Craft unionism: an older form, workers should be organized in the union based off of their skills--and industrial unionism: everyone included regardless of their skill level

What is a sit-down strike?

Workers stop working but remain at their stations to prevent scabs (someone replacing you). BIG SUCCESS

How did Ford oppose unions?

By using spies and intimidation tactics/ firing methods against workers interested in unionizing.

What was Ford's contract with the UAW?

He eventually signed it, rehired workers, and established a grievance procedure. No more overworking workers.

What exceptions exist for union activity?

Unions do not apply to agricultural workers. (Bracero Program)

What was the Bracero Program?

A program allowing Mexican workers to work in the U.S. under short-term contracts which made it difficult for unionization.

What tactics do companies use to resist unions?

Matching contracts (insisting workers don't need unions), persuasion campaigns (opposition to unions expressed by company), and illegal actions like firing pro-union employees.

Who supports unions?

Valuable workers, including women, people of color, and blue-collar workers.

What are the benefits of the labor movement?

Improved standard of living (for blue collar), good wages, pensions, and reduced gaps between job types (blue/white collar).

What factors led to the decline of unions?

Association with communism, conservative political shifts, and the Taft-Hartley Act.

What does the Taft-Hartley Act allow?

States to outlaw union shops and employers to criticize unions.

What evidence shows workers still want unions?

Higher unionization rates in the public sector and survey data indicating support.

What are the two key laws that assisted the labor movement?

The National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) of 1933 and the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) of 1935.

What did the NRLA establish?

It made interfering with self-organization an unfair labor practice and mandated secret ballot elections. Created the NRLB

What is the AFL?

The American Federation of Labor, an umbrella organization for the union movement.

What was the stance of the AFL on union organization?

They maintained that skilled workers should have their own unions.

Examples of peer review we discussed?

Muffin Meetings: Sharing findings with a diverse audience (All share muffins and talk. Dr. Paine spoke about a laboratory setting, something about insect smells, sharing findings with other scientists in the room. Expressing constructive criticism, satisfaction vs. dissatisfaction depending on understanding and "if they were on the right track") Scientific peer review

Grand Rounds- attending surgeons would brag about new techniques, what works and what doesn't work

M&M conferences- surgeons reviewing their failures (what mistakes, who died,

punishing themselves for their behaviors) to learn from mistakes from others