Final answer:
Labor unions negotiate with employers over wages and working conditions, commonly using collective bargaining and strikes. Their role aligns with external labor strategies of organizations that look beyond their workforce for talent. Union membership has varied historically, facing challenges from economic changes and corporate strategies, and their influence on labor policies is significant.
Step-by-step explanation:
Labor unions are organizations that represent workers in negotiations with employers, primarily concerning wages, working conditions, and other employment terms. Their existence within an organization aligns with a broader external labor strategy where businesses might look beyond their immediate workforce for talent acquisition and labor relations. While collective bargaining and strikes have been historically critical strategies employed by unions, these unions faced significant shifts and challenges over time. In the mid-20th century, union membership peaked and then declined, influenced by economic changes and corporate strategies to move operations to non-unionized locations or offshore.
Furthermore, labor unions have been an essential part of shaping labor policies and workers' rights, although their influence and public perception have fluctuated. Criticisms generally center around concerns that unions can sometimes focus too heavily on short-term gains to the detriment of long-term economic growth and employment stability. Nonetheless, the existence of unions within companies aligned with an external labor strategy entails a balance between the workforce's collective voice and the flexibility needs of the organization.