American Rights at Work
Encyclopedia
American Rights at Work is a U.S.
self-described nonpartisan
, nonprofit organization
that advocates for workers and their right to form unions
without interference.
ARAW is a labor policy and advocacy organization dedicated to educating the American public about the many barriers that workers face when they attempt to exercise their rights to organize and engage in collective bargaining
. The organization conducts research into United States labor law
and the National Labor Relations Board
as they relate to unions, employer actions in union organizing, and collective bargaining campaign..
ARAW receives funding from unions affiliated with both the AFL-CIO
and the Change to Win coalition, but its board of directors and day-to-day activities are not controlled by either labor group.
John Edwards
. Other board members include Julian Bond
and Bradley Whitford
.
The executive director of ARAW is Kimberly Freeman Brown. The founding executive director was Mary Beth Maxwell
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
self-described nonpartisan
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
, nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
that advocates for workers and their right to form unions
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
without interference.
ARAW is a labor policy and advocacy organization dedicated to educating the American public about the many barriers that workers face when they attempt to exercise their rights to organize and engage in collective bargaining
Collective bargaining
Collective bargaining is a process of negotiations between employers and the representatives of a unit of employees aimed at reaching agreements that regulate working conditions...
. The organization conducts research into United States labor law
United States labor law
United States labor law is a heterogeneous collection of state and federal laws. Federal law not only sets the standards that govern workers' rights to organize in the private sector, but also overrides most state and local laws that attempt to regulate this area. Federal law also provides more...
and the National Labor Relations Board
National Labor Relations Board
The National Labor Relations Board is an independent agency of the United States government charged with conducting elections for labor union representation and with investigating and remedying unfair labor practices. Unfair labor practices may involve union-related situations or instances of...
as they relate to unions, employer actions in union organizing, and collective bargaining campaign..
ARAW receives funding from unions affiliated with both the AFL-CIO
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
and the Change to Win coalition, but its board of directors and day-to-day activities are not controlled by either labor group.
Activities
The organization’s stated aims are to investigate workers' rights abuses and promote public policy that the ARAW claims will protect workers from allegedly hostile employers and weak labor laws.Leadership
The chair of the organization's board, David Bonior, took a leave of absence in December 2006 to chair the presidential election campaign of former U.S. SenatorUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
John Edwards
John Edwards
Johnny Reid "John" Edwards is an American politician, who served as a U.S. Senator from North Carolina. He was the Democratic nominee for Vice President in 2004, and was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004 and 2008.He defeated incumbent Republican Lauch Faircloth in...
. Other board members include Julian Bond
Julian Bond
Horace Julian Bond , known as Julian Bond, is an American social activist and leader in the American civil rights movement, politician, professor, and writer. While a student at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, during the early 1960s, he helped found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating...
and Bradley Whitford
Bradley Whitford
Bradley Whitford is an American film and television actor. He is best known for his roles as Deputy White House Chief of Staff Josh Lyman on the NBC television drama The West Wing, as Danny Tripp on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, as Dan Stark in the Fox police buddy-comedy The Good Guys, as...
.
The executive director of ARAW is Kimberly Freeman Brown. The founding executive director was Mary Beth Maxwell
Mary Beth Maxwell
Mary Beth Maxwell is the founding executive director of American Rights at Work and the author of the organization's inaugural report.Maxwell was chosen in April 2009 by President Barack Obama to be senior advisor in the United States Department of Labor....
.
See also
- Labor movement
- United States labor lawUnited States labor lawUnited States labor law is a heterogeneous collection of state and federal laws. Federal law not only sets the standards that govern workers' rights to organize in the private sector, but also overrides most state and local laws that attempt to regulate this area. Federal law also provides more...
- Labor history of the United StatesLabor history of the United StatesThe labor history of the United States describes the history of organized labor, as well as the more general history of working people, in the United States. Pressures dictating the nature and power of organized labor have included the evolution and power of the corporation, efforts by employers...