Final answer:
Management consultants are often hired to undermine union organizing efforts, and they are effective in a majority of Union avoidance campaigns. They may use company unions to weaken independent unions' influence. Union membership in the U.S. has declined significantly over the years.
Step-by-step explanation:
One union estimate found that management consultants hired to counter a union organizing campaign are effective in a majority of the Union avoidance campaigns. Employers hire these consultants to develop strategies and tactics that may include forming company unions, which serve to dilute the influence of independent unions by offering limited concessions or bonuses. These company unions operate with little power beyond what the management allows, often undercutting the efforts of actual unions by presenting themselves as the more effective option for workers.
This approach plays into the wider historical context where business owners and the public often viewed unions with suspicion. Critics argue that unions focus on short-term gains, potentially harming the economy in the long run, while supporters see them as essential for protecting workers' wages and benefits. In the United States, union membership has seen a reduction, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics reporting only about 10.3% of workers belonging to unions, a significant drop from past decades.