American Labor
Resources
- American Labor Class Preparation Page
- American Labor Workbook
- Scoutmaster Bucky's Merit Badge Advancement Quick Reference
- Scoutmaster Bucky's Acknowledgement Form
American Labor Requirements Current Scouts BSA requirements
as of April 28, 2025
as of April 28, 2025
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, retirement benefits.
2.
With your counselor's and parent or guardian'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 the following:
a.
Find out what the organization does.
b.
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.
c.
Draw a diagram showing how the organization is structured, from the
local to the national level, if applicable.
3.
Explain to your counselor what labor unions are, what they do, and what
services they provide to members. 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.
4.
Explain what is meant by the adversarial model of labor-management
relations, compared with a cooperative-bargaining style.
5.
Do ONE of the following:
a.
Develop a time line of significant events in the history of the
American labor movement from the 1770s to the present.
b.
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.
c.
With your counselor's and parent or guardian'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.
d.
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.
6.
Explain the term globalization. Discuss with your counselor some
effects of globalization on the workforce in the United States. Explain how
this global workforce fits into the economic system of this country.
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.
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. Explain
why agreements and compromises are made and how they affect each group in
achieving its goals.
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.
