Publication Date
Spring 2024
Degree Level
B.A.
Program
Honors
First Advisor
Sullivan, Michael
Second Advisor
Langston, Camille
Document Type
Thesis
Medium
manuscript
LCSH subject
Labor unions; Family policy; Families -- United States
Abstract
Enacted in 1993, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was the first substantial piece of federal legislation offering job-protected, unpaid leave to Americans. Since then, several states have passed laws offering an expansion of these protections including paid leave options, but no further policies have been adopted federally. Americans in need of these expansions are looking to a social force capable of advocating for such policy adoptions: organized labor. Thus, labor unions offer a case of interest to economists, political scientists, and sociologists in search of the expansion of federal workplace protections. Using both comparative legal and policy analysis as well as a theoretical approach, this paper will argue that labor unions can effectively mobilize for family rights. To establish the history of unions, the essay will first examine how unions have previously advocated for redistributive social policies and their successes as a result. It will then consider the current conditions in which paid family leave exists and its present challenges. Finally, a case for how unions can sustain change will be made by offering a comparison of Sweden's model for parental leave that can serve as a guide for future policy adoption.
Recommended Citation
Goza, Madison. 2024. "Empowering Families: The Role of Labor Unions in Advancing Paid Family Leave Policy." St. Mary's University Digital Commons.
Creative Commons License
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