Why do unions exist?Congress enacted theNational Labor Relations Act("NLRA") in 1935 to protect the rights of employees and employers, to encourage collective bargaining, and to curtail certain private sectorlaborand management practices, which can harm the general welfare of workers, businesses and the U.S. economy.

We used to call small businesses run by family members "Mom & Pop Shops." Small businesses were run as a family and the workers depended on the openness and honesty of the owners that ran the business. Mom or Pop signed their weekly paychecks and looked after the workers needs as long as workers did what was required.

Page 378 of your book talks about workplace procedures that help keep workers from unionizing:

"Failure to keep open effective lines of communication between management and employees can also lead to dissatisfaction. A perception (accurate or not) that management does not care about the rank-and-file employees and is disinterested in hearing their views, suggestions and concerns leaves the workforce ripe for union organizing efforts. There is no substitute for listening to the workers. Suggestion boxes, company newsletters, hot lines, and opportunities for face-to-face dialogue between workers and management can be very effective in keeping workers content and also yield benefits in productivity. Formal and honest performance evaluations also provide an important opportunity for truthful and meaningful communication."

Please cite all sources.