American Labor
Merit Badge Workbook
This Scoutmaster Bucky Merit Badge Workbook is based off the 2020 Scouts BSA Requirements.
Type your work on this page or download the American Labor
Workbook PDF.
Consider also using the American Labor merit badge class preparation page for clarification and expections when participating in a Scoutmaster Bucky merit badge opportunity (online or in-person).
Scout's Name:
Requirement 1: Using resources available to you, learn about working people and work-related concerns. List and briefly describe or give examples of at least EIGHT concerns of American workers. These may include, but are not limited to, working conditions, workplace safety, hours, wages, seniority, job security, equal-opportunity employment and discrimination, guest workers, automation and technologies that replace workers, unemployment, layoffs, outsourcing, and employee benefits such as health care, child care, profit sharing, continuing education, and retirement benefits.
American Worker Concern #1:
American Worker Concern #2:
American Worker Concern #3:
American Worker Concern #4:
American Worker Concern #5:
American Worker Concern #6:
American Worker Concern #7:
American Worker Concern #8:
American Worker Concern #9:
American Worker Concern #10:
Requirement 2: With your counselor's and parent's approval and permission, visit the office or attend a meeting of a local union, a central labor council, or an employee organization, or contact one of these organizations via the Internet. Then do EACH of the following:
Office or Meeting that you will attend (include specifics of what organization and level it is for):
Counselor's Name
Phone
Counselor's Signature
Date
Approved
Parent's Name
Phone
Parent's Signature
Date
Approved
Requirement 2a: Find out what the organization does.
Requirement 2b: Share the list of issues and concerns you made for requirement 1. Ask the people you communicate with which issues are of greatest interest or concern to them and why.
Requirement 2c: Draw a diagram showing how the organization is structured, from the local to the national level, if applicable.
Requirement 3: Explain to your counselor what labor unions are, what they do, and what services they provide to members.
What are Labor Unions?
What do Labor Unions do?
What services do Labor Unions provide their members?
Requirement 3: In your discussion, show that you understand the concepts of labor, management, collective bargaining, negotiation, union shops, open shops, grievance procedures, mediation, arbitration, work stoppages, strikes, and lockouts.
Labor:
Management:
Collective Bargaining:
Negotiation:
Union Shops:
Open Shops:
Grievance Procedure:
Mediation:
Arbitration:
Work Stoppages:
Strikes:
Lockouts:
Requirement 4: Explain what is meant by the adversarial model of labor-management relations, compared with a cooperative-bargaining style.
Notes:
Do ONE of the following (9a, 9b, 9c, or 9d) for requirement 9:
Requirement 5a: Collect and identify 50 foreign coins from at least 10 different countries.
Requirement 5a: Develop a time line of significant events in the history of the American labor movement from the 1770s to the present.
Requirement 5b: Prepare an exhibit, a scrapbook, or a computer presentation, such as a slide show, illustrating three major achievements of the American labor movement and how those achievements affect American workers.
If choosing this requirement option, you will need to share your work with your counselor.
Requirement 5c: With your counselor's and parent's approval and permission, watch a movie that addresses organized labor in the United States. Afterward, discuss the movie with your counselor and explain what you learned.
Movie Title:
Counselor's Name
Phone
Counselor's Signature
Date
Approved
Parent's Name
Phone
Parent's Signature
Date
Approved
Notes:
Requirement 5d: Read a biography (with your counselor's approval) of someone who has made a contribution to the American labor movement. Explain what contribution this person has made to the American labor movement.
Biography Title:
Counselor's Name
Phone
Counselor's Signature
Date
Approved
What contributions this person made to the American Labor Movement:
Requirement 6: Explain the term *globalization*.
Requirement 6: Discuss with your counselor some effects of globalization on the workforce in the United States.
Requirement 6: Explain how this global workforce fits into the economic system of this country.
Requirement 7: Choose a labor issue of widespread interest to American workers – an issue in the news currently or known to you from your work on this merit badge. Before your counselor, or in writing, argue both sides of the issue, first taking management's side, then presenting labor's or the employee's point of view. In your presentation, summarize the basic rights and responsibilities of employers and employees, including union members and nonunion members.
Selected Labor Issue:
Managements’ points on this issue:
Labors’ points on this issue:
Summary of Basic Rights and Responsibilities of Employer:
Summary of Basic Rights and Responsibilities of Employee:
Requirement 8: Discuss with your counselor the different goals that may motivate the owners of a business, its stockholders, its customers, its employees, the employees' representatives, the community, and public officials.
Owners of a Business:
Stockholders:
Customers:
Employees:
Employees' Representatives:
The Community:
Public Officials:
Requirement 8: Explain why agreements and compromises are made and how they affect each group in achieving its goals.
Why are agreements and compromises made:
How agreements and compromises affect Owners of a Business:
How agreements and compromises affect Stockholders:
How agreements and compromises affect Customers:
How agreements and compromises affect Employees:
How agreements and compromises affect Employees’ Representatives:
How agreements and compromises affect the Community:
How agreements and compromises affect Public Officials:
Requirement 9: Learn about opportunities in the field of labor relations. Choose one career in which you are interested and discuss with your counselor the major responsibilities of that position and the qualifications, education, and training such a position requires.
Career Opportunity #1
Career Opportunity #2
Career Opportunity #3
Selected Career Opportunity:
Major Responsibilities:
Qualifications Requirements:
Educational Requirements:
Training Requirements:
