Impact of the Aztec Mathematical System

Impact of the Aztec Mathematical System How the Aztec Mathematical System Came to be and Contributed to us Today by Destiny Harrison, Delaney Garcia, Jaysiya Norman, Jewel Samson, Raquel Cruz, Katelyn Woodley, Kalyna Mai and Olivia Nixon For the competition, we were tasked with studying Aztec mathematics. Aztec mathematics was one of the most complicated mathematical writings of any of the pre-Columbian people. Aztecs used hand, heart and arrow symbols to represent their numbers. The researchers put immense effort into studying Aztec agricultural manuscripts trying to understand how the genius-seeming people arrived at area calculations. [1] Only when they factored in the important and well-used glyphs did the figures make sense. The term Aztec comes from the ethnic groups that were both politically and socially dominant in Mexico during the 1330s through the early 1500s. Geographer Barbara Williams of the University of Wisconsin and math genius Maria del Carmen Jorge Y Jorge of the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico studied long and hard over two documents that described the farming properties owned and controlled by citizens in the city of Tepetlaoxtoc for about four years in the 1540s[2]. There are only a few records written in the pre-Mexico period that includes perimeter and area data; shown by Dr. Jorges studies. Most of the documents from this time were lost. The researchers tried to copy the area predictions and originally had issues. When the Aztecs realized that the arrow, hand, and head drawings showed ground distances they were finally were able to come up with some predictions. [3]The system they use to record the areas is confusing, even for modern mathematical geniuses, according to what Dr. Jorge told LiveScience during an interview. She was very excited to see that actually using the symbols made it easier to discover the areas. Each symbol stood for a distance that was less than the standard area unit called a land rod. These arrow, heart and hand symbols were similar to what we now call fractions, according to the studies Dr. Jorge conveyed. [4] They called them units of measure, smaller than the length unit. [5]The Aztecs had their own forms of calculation. The Aztecs used a base-20 number system, and labeled the ones with dots and 20s with bars. Aztec math has more numbers than we do now or at least symbols labelling numerical theories. The land holding documents were written for the use of tax. The type of the mathematics the Aztec used to calculate land holdings was made to be constant with the calendar mathematics which are well known for. The ability to make calculations while using proportions was spread across cultures at the time (Moskowitz[6]). Usually a finger was used to show the number. Going by the dots, one would be represented as one dot;   Ã‚   1 = à ¡Ã‚ Ã‚ § And so forth with the number system; 2 = à ¡Ã‚ Ã‚ §Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ Ã‚ § 3 = à ¡Ã‚ Ã‚ §Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ Ã‚ §Ãƒ ¡Ã‚ Ã‚ § The Aztecs were dominant citizens in Mexico for several hundred years. The Aztecs used a number system that had been around for a long time. It is a vigesimal system as the apposed to our decimal system. The Aztecs used a dot number system. They left behind their comprehensive math writings, and fascinating scholars until this day. The Aztecs had a intelligent idea of what zero was and there is no proof that they had a symbol representing it. The lines and dots look very simple but was actually very complicated. The Aztecs were one of few groups to completely measure out many things in life. The Codex Vergara, from 1540, has representable drawings and altitude of individual fields. Previous study has showed the fact that they had knowledge of multiplication and division and they even had some information about geometry. The mathematics that the Aztecs used was highly based upon earlier versions of Egyptian mathematics; mirroring their use of images as numbers. The images had no order and could be written in any way to still represent the same singular number, just as the Egyptian symbols. The Aztecs used body parts to measure. For example, if you stretched out your left the measure from your heart to the tip of your finger would be one singular measure (much like our current foot, inch, and mile). The system is puzzling, used to record area and perimeter during architecture and other building methods. Still, the measurement system was complex for its time period. Aztecs recorded only the total area. Dr. Williams has analyzed the Codex Vergara (which is what they called the Aztec math). Aztecs used several types of algorithms to calculate areas. Some involved simply multiplying length by width. The Aztecs came up with many different ideas such as multiplying the average of two different sides by an adjacent side. When a measurement did not match an exact number of land rods they used their standard unit of normal measurement, which went to about 2.5. The Aztecs also used mathematics for astronomy. Although most of their information in math astronomy was lost there is a pretty good synthesis of the remaining information in the book Skywatchers by Anthony Aveni. For example the Aztecs used their system to find out that the cycle of Venus is 584 days. The Aztecs even did the math to workout out the eclipse season although they didnt know the shape of the earth or the size.They had found out when the eclipse would happen but they were not total for sure the eclipse would be the total eclipse. They would use the number system to keep track of natural disasters As of what we know the Aztecs are the only early Americans to leave technical documents. Aztecs like to get their measurements right, definitely when it came to taxation. The Aztecs documents were very organized and detailed. The Codex Vergara was created in about 1540, and it involved schematic drawings and the exact measurements of individual fields. It has been revealed that an understanding of multiplication and division,principles of geometry was needed. Although the Aztecs are only early Americans that have these kinds of documents, its reasonable to consider that other groups such as the complex Mayans used similar systems. There is an observation that the Aztecs were living off their religion and that their science and facts were all guided by it. Studies have shown that the Aztecs probably liked to get their measurements right and definitely when it comes to tax. Previous studies have shown that they had the ability of doing multiplication, division and even had some laws of geometry. Aztec math is very valuable because it was one of the first mathematical systems that was made. It was also an ancient tax time. Aztec math is very intriguing; its different unlike a lot of math people do today. The Aztec mathematics helped make the calendar and help make a writing system that uses hieroglyphics. The Aztec civilization blossomed after the come down of the Toltecs around the 11th century AD. By the year 1325 they had found the city of Tenochtitlan in the valley of Mexico and became one of the strongest military groups. The Aztec empire as it was known, was very powerful, lead several other groups, grand taxes, taking sacrifice prisoners and gripping their achievements. A diamond represents 10, a flag represents 20, feathers represent the hundreds, a bag of cacao beans represents 8,000. The Aztec empire was a collection of small states that were controlled by chiefs. Their alliance with the neighboring city states of Tetzcoco and Tlacopan made them so powerful that they came to control most of what is now called Mexico. The Aztec king claimed to be born from the line of the gods and ruled through a council of nobles and officials. Noble males served in the military, in government, and in priesthood. The lower classes worked as slaves and commoners; this category was most of the Aztec people. The Aztec recorded the area of shapes once they found the area. Aztec people were very intelligent, they worked hard to get their math where it is today. Astronomy is the intelligence of planets and stars. The Aztecs developed an elaborate calendar that reflected the cosmic cycles of their religion, called the Sun Calendar. The Aztecs were very smart and intelligent thinkers as well. The Aztec education was valued in their culture. At this time the math they had came up with was more advanced than the other systems. The Aztecs were not just good at math but was also good at science; that helped them with making some of their choices. Their math relied on their science sometimes. Today we use math for so many different reasons like to buy what we want or need but one of the reasons why the Aztecs made their math system was so when they built anything they would have the measurements right and also for taxes. The Aztec Empire was known to be very powerful and dominated several other cultures , applying taxes, taking sacrifice prisoners, and taking in their advancements. This is how they were influenced by the Mayans, not directly but by the Toltecs who had gotten that knowledge years before, in comparison to their math and their calendars. Even though there is no precise Aztec math, it is believed that the Aztecs were taught a Mayan-based math, using the same view and symbols, so it turned out the same way. It was also used in the marketplace for the trading of goods, but more significantly it was implemented by astronomers in the important search of the skies and space, through the calendars. The Aztecs were very religious and led themselves through offerings, human and animal sacrifices to the gods; the Aztec stone was a sacrificial stone made sometime in the 1470s in the temple of the war god Huitzilopochtli, but the stone also represented the Aztec cosmos. There were people charged with the responsibility of studying the cosmos, like the priests who were the astronomers as well. It was obvious that these people needed to posses a strong mathematical knowledge in order to take control and study the skies, and interpret the calendar, so we can see that math was an integral part of the future priests education. The calendars created by the Aztecs were made up of a combination of the earlier calendars and Aztecs general religious beliefs. The Aztecs believed that each and every era of the world was labelled by the end of the 52nd year or life cycle, and that post that either a new era was about to begin or the end of the world was drawing nearer. Every era was marked by a unique process, like ÃÆ' the Era of the Earth Sun, the Age of Great Winds, the Age of Fire, the Age of Floods, and the present one the Age of Earthquakes. These were the five Suns, all of which are shown in the Aztec calendar: the current one in the center and all other four, with their date of ending, surrounding the fifth sun, which is symbolized as an Aztec god (one of the Aztec gods), probably the sun god. The stone didnt commemorate the start of the fifth sun but the destruction of it by earthquakes. The Aztecs believed that in order to keep the gods happy they had to supply them with fresh human hearts, to keep on living. With the Aztec calendars, the Aztecs were able to track important dates with their calendars, as well as use them to study and investigate space and the Earth. They used the calendars to track when they could study the constellations and stars best (see them best). They were good at their knowledge in astronomy and mathematics they used to help them; their system could be compared to the Egyptian system (as mentioned), but also the Hindus and Babylonians. Our opinion on the Aztec culture is immense; we think very highly of them and their mathematical skills. We think that the mathematics is helpful to our modern world today. They contributed to our society by helping develop our own, modern mathematics. Without the Aztecs mathematics, we may never have had developed our own. We might not have started using decimals, zeros as placeholders, time, money, or even numbers in general! We think that Aztec mathematics is very helpful to us. We use Aztec mathematics today in school, teaching, and our jobs. Our future careers may depend on mathematics that directly root from the Aztec developments. Delaney thinks it is interesting to her because the developments of Aztec mathematics helps you with math equations today. On the contrary, Jaysiya thinks it is very useful because it helps us in the 21st century (career, historian, and etc wise). Raquel thinks it is entertaining because it started long ago and it helps us even modernly. Olivia thinks that it is very creative because of the many different symbols used in the system. Kalyna thinks that the Aztec mathematics were a great development in mathematics for the time period it was used in because of the complex equations and calculations. Katelyn thinks that Aztec math is very interesting to learn about, she would love to learn more about it. Destiny says that she thinks it is an interesting topic to learn and that she thinks that it could have been a difficult system to come up with. Overall, our conclusion to this essay follows; How did Aztec mathematics affect us today? Without the contributions of the knowledge passed on through Aztec culture, we might never have developed our modern mathematics that led to great inventions such as the car, keys, TVs, the internet and computers, and so many more commonly used household items that we depend on in the 21st century. How did the Aztec mathematics develop? The Aztecs used a complex complication of developing forward previous systems; the Egyptian hieroglyphs, the Mayan dot-and-bar-system, and so forth. But they developed so much on their own, including but not limited to calendars, decimals, and even the late development of zeros as place holders. Works Cited Andrei, Mihai. Science ABCs How Aztecs did the Math. http://www.zmescience.com, 9 Apr. 2008, www.zmescience.com/other/science-abc/science-abc-how-aztecs-did-the-math/ Holden, Constance. How Aztecs did the Math. http://www.sciencemag.org, 3 Apr. 2008 Leon, Araceli. Math Use During Maya and Aztec Civilizations. http://www.hermetic.ch, www.hermetic.ch/cal_stud/maya/mathuse.htm Moskowitz, Clara. Amazing Aztecs were Math Whizzes Too. www.livescience.com, 2 Apr. 2008, www.livescience.com/2427-amazing-aztecs-math-whizzes.html Siddiqui, Ajaz. Aztec Number System. www.math.temple.edu, 8 Feb. 2004, www.math.temple.edu/~zit/Native%20American/9%20Aztecs_num.pdf [1]Sources? I know its tedious, but its worth it. [2]Makes it sound like Maria and Barbara worked on the documents in 1540. I know what you meant, but you might want to clarify. they studied two documents from the 1540s for 4 years. or something along those lines. [3]cite source please. [4]Not sure conveyed is the right term for this sentence. [5]They called what units of measure? A bit unclear. You guys are doing well. I see the hard work. You got this. Keep it up. [6]In text citations are (last name, page #).

MG420 DLC Labor Relations Essay

1. Define the term â€Å"collective bargaining† and list and describe four issues that are mandatory components of a collective bargaining agreement. Efficiency, equity, and voice, these are the three primary objectives of labor relations, of employees, and even of some management employees. Workers seem to lean more towards equity and voice at the workplace, while management usually prefers efficiency. The complicated part is attempting to balance all three for an overall idyllic medium at the workplace for both employers and employees. One of the most encouraging guidelines that should be taken in attaining this balancing act would be through collective bargaining. Collective bargaining is a process of negotiating an agreement regarding the terms and conditions of employment through a system of shared responsibility and decision-making between labor and management (Budd 11-12). During a collective bargaining period, workers’ representatives approach the employer and attempt to negotiate a contract which both sides can agree upon, terms can typically be about wages, hours, promotions, benefits, and other employment components as well as procedures for handling disputes arising under it. An example that can better explain the importance of a collective bargaining is in an article called â€Å"Teachers’ union sues Middleton-Cross Plains school district†, (http://host.madison.com/news/local/education/local_schools/teachers-union-sues-middleton-cross-plains-school-district/article_d169fd40-5996-11e0-9c87-001cc4c03286.html), the author discusses how the union representing teachers in the Middleton-Cross Plains School District sued the district Monday over their collective bargaining negotiations. According to the complaint filed in Dane County Circuit Court, the union said the district â€Å"bargained in bad faith† and proposed non-negotiable contract changes including removal of just cause for discipline and discharge, total district discretion of work  hours, elimination of seniority protections, elimination of fair share union dues, modifications/freezes on salary schedules and elimination of compensatory time off. The union also objected to the district proposal that the School Board be the final step in the grievance procedure as opposed to having a third-party arbitrator as the current agreement states (Kittner, 2011). In this article, we see how the teacher’s union could not effectively negotiate an agreement regarding the terms and conditions of employment with the Cross Plain school district and had to sue for a good-faith collective bargaining agreement. According to our textbook, four issues that are mandatory components of a collective bargaining a greement are as follow: (Budd 11-12) Compensation: Wages and benefits Vacations and holidays Shift premiums Profit sharing Employee Rights and responsibilities: Seniority rights Job standards Workplace rules Employer rights and responsibilities: Management rights Just cause discipline and discharge Subcontracting and safety standard Dispute resolution and ongoing decision making: Grievance procedures Committees and consultation Renegotiation procedures The two mandatory components of a collective bargaining agreement I would like to discuss in more detail are employee rights and grievance procedures. According to our textbook one of the four types of employees’ rights frequently granted in union contract is â€Å"just cause discipline and discharge†, an employee can be disciplined and discharged only for â€Å"cause† or â€Å"just cause†. As such, employees have the right to insist there be valid, job-related for reasons for discipline and dismissal (Budd 310). In an  article called â€Å"Is Poor Performance â€Å"Just Cause† for Discharge?†, provides a good example of employees’ rights â€Å"just cause discipline and discharge. The article discusses how the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled in favor of an employer who had discharged an employee for poor performance. The court ruled that the employees’ poor performance constituted a â€Å"breach of duty reasonably owed the employer† which is one of the seven reasons that constitute â€Å"just cause† for discharge under Indiana law and contracts (Lyman, 2012). The article also discusses how employer tried to improve the employees’ behavior. â€Å"The employee’s supervisors repeatedly discussed with employee the mistakes†¦but the mistakes â€Å"would happen over, and over, and over again.† Co-workers had continuing problems with the employee where she would always blame others for her problems. Despite counseling on multiple occasions, she showed no improvement† (Lyman, 2012). The second mandatory component of a collective bargaining agreement I would like to discuss, is grievance procedures. According to our textbook, a grievance is generally defined as a claim by an employee that he or she is adversely affected by the misinterpretation or misapplication of a written company policy or collectively bargained agreement. To address grievances, employers typically implement a grievance procedure (Budd 321). Most collective bargaining agreements include procedures for filing and resolving grievances. An article from the Daily Freeman News called â€Å"Saugerties school board wants grievance discussion with teachers’ union instead of arbitration† (http://www.dailyfreeman.com/general-news/20140215/saugerties-school-board-wants-grievance-discussion-with-teachers-union-instead-of-arbitration), discusses a grievance raised during a Board of Education meeting which involves a guidance counselor in the junior high school who has 329 students, which exce eds the 250 maximum student load. The union, in filing its grievance, asked that the student load be reduced and the counselor receive additional pay for the period in which it exceeded 250 (Zangla, 2014). Within a union environment, the processes will typically involve the employee, union representatives and members of the employer’s management team. The article goes into detail how they will be meeting and try to avoid arbitration. â€Å"Board President George Heidcamp said trustees want to resolve  the grievance with the teachers’ union without going to arbitration, which could cost taxpayers $10,000 or more† (Zangla, 2014). In summary, collective bargaining centers on the basic components of the system where employees, employers and union members meet in order to find what works best and find a solution. A key note to successful collective bargaining is the state of affairs and persons who are entrusted to negotiate should have the traits of patience, trustworthiness, friendliness, integrity, and fairness. Collective bargaining through its mandatory components have enabled many unions and labor management to either agree or take the next steps in trying to get a fair and profitable agreement for both parties. Works Cited Budd, John W. Labor Relations: Striking a Balance. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2013. Print. Kittner, Gena. Teachers’ union sues Middleton-Cross Plains school district. 28 Mar 2011. Web. 19 Apr 2014. . Lyman, Stephen W. Is Poor Performance â€Å"Just Cause† for Discharge? 31 Aug 2012. Web. 19 Apr 2014. . Zangla, Ariel. Saugerties school board wants grievance discussion with teachers’ union instead of arbitration. 15 Feb 2014. Web. 19 Apr 2014. . 2. List and discuss three U.S. laws that support collective bargaining, and three examples of employer unfair labor practices. We have learned that collective bargaining is the negotiations involving the representatives of labor and management for terms and conditions of employment that will apply to the employee. It is also important to understand labor laws that support collective bargaining that protect union activity to balance efficiency, equity and voice. According to our textbook, the three U.S. laws that support collective bargaining between labor and management, are the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 (The Wagner Act), the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947 (The Taft-Hartley Act), and Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (The Landrum- Griffin Act) (Budd 109). The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) of 1935, also known as the Wagner Act builds upon previous legislative attempts to promote and protect workers’ abilities to unionize in the private sector if they so choose. It guarantees the right of employees to organize and bargain collectively with  their employers, and to engage in other protected organized activity. Employees covered by the Act are also protected from certain types of employer and union misconduct. (Budd 119). In an interesting Wall Street Journal article called â€Å"Volkswagen’s Union Gamble† (http://www.no2uaw.com/vws-gamble.html), provides a good example of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) at work. The article discusses how Volkswagen and the United Auto Workers union are trying to get workers from Chattanooga, TN plant to vote on unionizing. According to the article, â€Å"Volkswagen workers in Chattanooga are voting this week on whether to become the first foreign-owned unionized auto plant in the American South. The United Auto Workers union desperately needs the victory and is getting help from the National Labor Relations Board and even from Volkswagen, which may come to regret selling out their workers to the union† (WSJ, 2014). The editorial also goes into detail how the UAW tried to sidestep a secret-ballot election via a dubious â€Å"card check.† There logic for this was due to the fact that the Wagner Act allows a union to be certified if a majority of workers sign authorization cards and an employer acquiesces. Unfortunately, the workers argue that non-union plants have lower production costs, more workforce flexibility and less labor strife. They also argue â€Å"Volkswagen’s un-neutral â€Å"neutrality agreement† with the UAW is arguably a violation of Taft-Hartley’s prohibition on employers giving a â€Å"thing of value† to a union seeking to organize its employees† and filed charges with the NLRB alleging that the UAW had lied to workers and bullied them into signing cards (WSJ, 2014). The debate about Volkswagen’s violation of the Taft-Hartley Act is ongoing and it takes us to our second U.S. laws that support collective bargaining. The Labor Management Relations Act of 1947, which is also known as the Taft-Hartley Act amends and adds to the Wagner Act in diverse and far-reaching ways and can be divided into three categories, â€Å"Restrictions on union actions, Enhanced rights of individuals and employers, and New dispute resolution procedures† (Budd 128). The purpose and policy of the Taft-Hartley Act was â€Å"to prescribe the legitimate rights of both employees and employers, to provide orderly and peaceful procedures for preventing the interference by either with the legitimate right of the other, to protect  the rights of individual employees in their relations with labor organizations and to protect the rights of the public in connection with labor disputes affecting commerce† (Budd 127). The act also empowers the U.S. president to petition a court to suspend a strike deemed a national security strike (Budd 128). In an article from the New York Times called â€Å"Dockworkers Strike Threatens to Close the East Coast Ports† (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/27/business/dockworkers-strike-threatens-to-close-east-coast-ports.html?_r=0), discusses how â€Å"dockworkers are flexing their muscles again, threatening a strike that would shut seaports from Massachusetts to Texas. It would be the first such coast wide strike since a two month walkout in 1977 that paralyzed the flow of tens of billions of dollars of imports – and the nation’s retailers and other businesses fear a painful replay if the 14,500 dockworkers make good on their threats† (Greenhouse, 2012). The strike threat has so alarmed corporate America that of more than 100 business groups which wrote to President Obama to urge him to intervene to push the two sides to settle – and, if need be, to invoke his emergency powers under the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act to bar a strike (Greenhouse, 2012). Eventually the strike was averted, the two sides agreed to sit down with the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service to discuss extending the long shore workers’ contract, during which time both negotiations and port operations would continue. Another U.S. law that supports collective bargaining is the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959 (The Landrum- Griffin Act) deals with the relationship between a union and its members. The Landrum- Griffin creates a bill of rights for union members that guarantees all union members equal rights of participation in internal union affairs, including voting and expressing views† (Budd 131). Part of the bill of rights of this act specifically mentions that all union members are entitled to receive a copy of the collective bargaining agreement. Additionally, the Landrum-Griffin Act tries to hinder corruption and racketeering in three ways. â€Å"First, unions and their officer are required to disclose financial records by filing reports with the U.S. Department of Labor. Second, the Landrum-Griffin act restricts the use of union trusteeships. Third, the Landrum-Griffin Act establishes the fiduciary responsibility of union leaders† (Budd 132-133). In a Wall Street Journal article titled â€Å"Obama Tries to Stop Union Disclosure† asserts how union membership peaked in the 1950s, when more than one-third of American workers belonged to a union. Approximately just about 7.6% of American private-sector workers belong to a union. A Rasmussen Research survey conducted in March found that 81% of nonunion members do not want to belong to a union. (WSJ, 2009). The response by union leaders and their Democratic allies to declining union membership is the Employee Free Choice Act. To increase unionization, it would deprive workers of private balloting in organizing elections, and it would substitute a signature-card process that would expose workers to coercion. The bill would also deny workers the right to ratify, or not ratify, labor contracts drafted by government arbitrators when negotiations in newly unionized workplaces exceed the bill’s rigid timetable (WSJ, 2009). Unfortunately, we see that instead of the democratic government abiding by the Landrum-Griffin Act, it is trying to create laws to appeal some of the current laws that protect union members from the unions or government. In the three above cases, the U.S. laws support collective bargaining, as well as protect from employer unfair practices. An unfair labor practices are defined according to our textbook as an illegal employers’ actions (Budd 122). The Wagner Act or the National Labor Relations Act has specific guidelines that both employees and employers must follow in order to maintain a positive work environment. At times, unfair labor practices do occur and place the workers in chaos. One of the unfair labor practice prohibits employers from interfering, restraining, or coercing employees who are exercising their Section 7 rights. Circulating antiunion petitions, using unnecessary surveillance to watch union activities, threatening employees with being fired, demoted, or causing physical harm, and bribing employees with wage increases are examples of Section 8(a)(1) known as the â€Å"universal enforcer† because it covers all employer violations of employee rights (Budd 123). The second unfair labor practice is known as Domination of a Labor Organization or Company Union Ban. Senator Wagner wanted to avoid management â€Å"handling† unions, preventing workers from forming legitimate, independent unions. Employers that initiate the formation of a union, provide financial support to a union, create a  nonunion employee representation plan, or create a labor-management committee that discusses wages and working conditions with some give and take with management is in direct violation of Section 8(a)(2) (Budd 123-124). The third unfair labor practice deals with employers discriminating to encourage or discourage union membership. Examples include firing a union supporter or someone trying to form a union, transferring a union supporter to a less desirable job or promoting an employee because of opposing a union, refusing to hire a potential employee because of past union participation or simply closing a part of a business because of antiunion reason s are examples of Section 8(a)(3) (Budd 123-124). A good example of two unfair labor practices is in an article called â€Å"1981 Strike Leaves Legacy for American Workers† (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5604656), in which the author discusses how over 30 years ago, former President Ronald Reagan set a defining moment in the history of the aviation, his presidency, and labor relations by firing thousands of unionized air traffic controllers for illegally going on strike. In February 1981, new contract negotiations open between Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization (PATCO) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which employs the air-traffic controllers. Citing safety concerns, PATCO calls for a reduced 32-hour work week, a $10,000 pay increase for all air-traffic controllers and a better benefits package for retirement. Contract negotiations with the FAA stall (Schalch, 2006). Then in August 1984, strike action began with 13,000 employees walking off the job in various locations, halting operations as busy airports including Dallas, Fort Worth, Atlanta, and Chicago. At that point, then President Reagan intervened sending a warning statement that anyone not returning to work within 48 hours would be terminated. Two days later most of the striking employees were fired. They were replaced by employees not participating the protests and military air traffic controllers (Schalch, 2006). As I understand the employer unfair practices, the firing of the unionizes traffic controllers and the hiring of new traffic controllers was a direct violation of Sections 8(a)(1) and (3), threatening employees with job loss, firing a union supporter, and promoting a union opponent to a better job. In conclusion, the three labor laws have shed some much needed light as to the rights of both employers and employees, not to mention has also set some much needed boundaries as to how far each side can go without treading into illegal or unfair territory. These laws must be put into place to regulate both sides equally and it also provides no confusion as to the right and wrong paths one must take when leading to collective bargaining. The examples of unfair labor practices by employers provide a clear view as to the lengths some employers will go to in an attempt to avoid or divert a union being organized. The Wagner Act has specific sections in its law that provides employers the knowledge of what is acceptable behavior and what is not. Works Cited Budd, John W. Labor Relations: Striking a Balance. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2013. Print. Greenhouse, Steven. Dockworkers Strike Threatens to Close East Coast Ports. 26 Dec 2012. Web. 22 Apr 2014. . Schalch, Kathleen. 1981 Strike Leaves Legacy for American Workers. 2006 Aug 2006. Web. 22 Apr 2014. . Wall Street Journal (Editorial): Volkswagen’s Union Gamble. 12 Feb 2014. Web. 20 Apr 2014. . 3. Describe the process of establishing and decertifying a collective bargaining unit in the workplace. As discussed earlier in this research paper, the definition of collective bargaining is technically when a group of employees negotiate as a unit with their employer over pay, benefits and working conditions. Chris Langford, a strategist and organizer at the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), (http://www.ifpte.org/news/details/Why-Collective-Bargaining-Rights-Are-Important), states that the principle stems from the idea that as a group, employees have more strength or bargaining power if they collaborate than they do if they try to negotiate with their employer individually. Because of its basis in collaboration, collective bargaining is inherently a democratic process since a majority of employees select the subjects they bargain over and vote on whether they agree to a contract (Langford, 2012). In our textbook the author, discusses how a bargaining unit is a group of several workers involved in a similar industry or occupational field that, on the determination of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), can engage in collective bargaining (Budd 199). This group also helps the union represent the other employees in the industry to handle any issues, improprieties, or unfair work ethics or practices that may come to light. To establish a bargaining unit, certain laws and doctrines must be strictly adhered to, the worker group must also have first established an organized union the deals with their specific industry. The union represents the group exclusively, and deals with all negotiations and discussions to further the workers’ causes. Once a union has been formed, the NLRB, looks at several criteria before allowing part of the worker group to be recognized as a bargaining unit. The NLRB reviews the workers’ mutual interests in working conditions, wages earned, training protocols, and number of hours in a work week. They also look at the management scope, the public interest factor, and the worker group’s history of bargaining in the past through other associations (Budd 200). According to an article called â€Å"WNBA and Players Association Sign New Collective Bargaining Agreement† , the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) announced that they have entered into a new eight-year collective bargaining agreement. The new collective bargaining agreement includes an additional 12th roster spot, salary cap increases and reduced revenue sharing thresholds, making it more likely that the players will share in league revenue growth. In the article, we can see how an established a collective bargaining unit represent its specific employees (women basketball pl ayers) to conduct collective bargaining with their employers (WNBA, 2014). So what happens if the collective bargaining unit (union) employees no longer want to be represented? To determine the wishes of the majority of the employees, the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) allows employees to call for a special election to get rid of the union as their â€Å"exclusive representative.† This is called a Decertification election.

Foils for Odysseus - 1448 Words

Breanna Manlick 4-26-2014 CLAS 342 Paper Assignment #2 Character Foils for Odysseus The Odyssey is the epic that has been read time and time again, by varying ages, digging its way into our hearts, becoming an instant classic. Odysseus and the adventures of his homecoming create a much different tale than Homer’s other work, the Iliad, provided. The epic is not about bloodthirsty men trying to get their hands on kleos anymore; it is about the homecoming of a man who uses his wits, not his weapon. In the Odyssey, the characters balance – Homer provides contrasting characters to show the readers the traits that Odysseus holds and how it builds his character development and even those who are foils to him. Odysseus’ own son, Trojan War†¦show more content†¦Agamemnon was stabbed to death by the vengeful tag-team. Agamemnon’s son, Orestes, unleashed vengeance upon his mother and her lover. Agamemnon’s family is a foil for Odysseus’ family life. Odysseus’ family loves him very dearly and has done no wrong as he was away. Penelope, unlike Clytemnestra, stays loyal to Odysseus and even creates an ingenious plan to keep the suitors off her back. Telemachos on the other hand has to deal with the suitors who are trying to marry his mother and have been dishonoring his father, Odysseus, eating their fill since they sat their butts on the stools they deem as weapons. Telemachos can’t even stand up to the suitors as Agamemnon’s son took revenge on the people who killed his father. This shows how Telemachos should be as a son and will soon be as he grows up to be more like his father. Menelaos had a long homecoming due to the gods, just as Odysseus had. Menelaos angered the Egyptian gods, due to the lack of knowledge of Egyptian customs. He was able to get home with all of his crew, unlike Odysseus, who was a lone survivor. Although Menelaos had an easier homecoming than Odysseus, he did not have a faithful wife, just like Agamemnon. Helen was the reason for the Trojan War; for Menelaos it was not easy to forgive an unfaithful wife to that degree. He cannot rejoin the present as easily due to all that was lost in Troy, destined to be full of grief forShow MoreRelatedCharacter Foils For Odysseus By Homer1331 Words   |  6 PagesCharacter Foils for Odysseus Throughout the epic Homeric poem, The Odyssey of Homer, Odysseus is a hero known for his cunningness, vigilance, and overall attainment of homecoming. Odysseus’ journey home is one of many mental and physical tests that which involve numerous encounters with others whose characters are in opposition with his. It is important to understand that through his encounters with certain opposing characters, Odysseus’ qualities of possessing heroism and cleverness are vividlyRead MoreAgamemnon And Achilles In The Book 11 Of The Odyssey842 Words   |  4 PagesBook 11 of The Odyssey serves as representing a foil to Achilles through Agamemnon and Achilles’ stories and showing us a different perspective about heroic death with fame and glory(kleos). Homer uses Agamemnon, Achilles, and Heracles as characters for a comparison between their ended lives in Hades and Odysseus’ undead life. The story of Achilles’ failure to return to home and Agamemnon’s trag ic death from her faithless wife acts as a foil to Odysseus and her faithful wife in the Book 11. Also, theRead MoreThe Similarities Of Foils In Homers Odyssey950 Words   |  4 PagesFoils in The Odyssey Foils exist to create secondary character’s actions and thoughts. These actions and thoughts are the ideals of the representation of that person. That person exists in contrasts with other people. Other people exist in comparison with that person. These ideals exist in all of literature with the introduction and the plays of old. The Odyssey along with olden works of literature, conduct their secondary characters to interact with the primary. Homer utilizes the ideals of contrastRead MoreThe Elements Of Foils In Homers Odyssey942 Words   |  4 PagesFoiling in The Odyssey Foils exist to create secondary characters actions and thoughts. These actions and thoughts are the ideals of the representation of that person. That person exists in contrasts with other people. Other people exist in comparison with that person. These ideals exist in all of literature with the introduction and the plays of old. The Odyssey along with olden works of literature conduct their secondary characters to interact with the primary. Homer utilizes the ideals of contrastsRead MoreThe Double Standard: Women Cast into the Shadows of Men 1356 Words   |  6 Pagesaround, it seems unlikely that the bar of equality between men and women will ever be perfectly just. The Odyssey shows how the double standard was no stranger even over 30 centuries ago. The epic poem focuses on alpha male, Odysseus’ journey home. Throughout the novel Odysseus continues to be described as strong, intelligent, and courageous despite his character flaws. He is portrayed as the man everyone wants to be. The Wife of Bath Tale in The Canterbury Tales is another story that clearly illustratesRead MoreOdessy Essay: Whos to Blame950 Words   |  4 PagesTo Blame? In Homer’s Epic, The Odyssey Odysseus the leader of Ithaca goes through very long troublesome and painful journey after fighting in the Trojan War. Throughout the whole epic, learning and experiencing his long expedition, the reader can decide who is to blame. Many Greek people would believe that Gods are almost always the source of human misfortune, however the distress maybe caused by their selves rather than the all-powerful gods. Odysseus has been away from his kingdom a total ofRead MoreOdysseus As The Epic Hero In Homers Odyssey1019 Words   |  5 PagesOdysseus as the Epic Hero in Homer’s The Odyssey A style of work often explored in Greek literature is that of the epic. An expansive poem of a wide scope centered on and regarding the wondrous deeds of the main, heroic figure, on whose actions depend the fate of a nation. The definition of an epic can be used to describe The Odyssey by Homer. In The Odyssey we are introduced to our main character, Odysseus, the former king of Ithaca and a Trojan war hero who has been trapped on an Island by theRead MoreThe Role of The Gods in The Lives of Men Essay1098 Words   |  5 Pagesboth Odysseus and his son, Telemachus. Athena has an extraordinarily close relationship with Odysseus. She is Odysseus’s guardian. Athena directs Odysseus and Telemachus both physically and mentally throughout their many life changing adventures. In the beginning of the Odyssey, Odysseus is being held by Kalypso on her island. Athena begs her father, Zeus, to send Hermes to make Kalypso release Odysseus so that he may return home to Ithaka. Athena says , â€Å"†¦my own heart is broken for Odysseus, theRead More Women in The Odyssey Essay example1487 Words   |  6 Pagesplay an influential role in The Odyssey. Women appear throughout the story, as goddesses, wives, princesses, or servants. The nymph Calypso enslaves Odysseus for many years. Odysseus desires to reach home and his wife Penelope. It is the goddess Athena who sets the action of The Odyssey rolling; she also guides and orchestrates everything to Odysseus’ good. Women in The Odyssey are divided into two classes: seductresses and helpmeets. By doing so, Homer demonstrates that women have the power to eitherRead MoreExamples Of Archetypes In The Odyssey1291 Words   |  6 Pagesfilms, music, literature and several other forms of entertainment. In fact, The Odyssey, a prominent piece of writing, contains many archetypes. The Odyssey is a 3,000 year-old epic written by Homer in Ancient Greece. It describes the adventures of Odysseus. As well as being found i n The Odyssey, archetypes are evident throughout Greek culture. These archetypes depict the ideals and beliefs of the Ancient Greeks. Through Homer’s use of archetypes in The Odyssey, the reader gains insights about Ancient

President Obama Addressed The Nation s Problem Of Inequality

In his 2013 Inaugural Address, President Barack Obama addressed the nation’s problem of inequality people are faced with each and everyday day and how these inequalities affect the concept of freedom. He said, â€Å"For our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers, and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts. Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law – for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well† (The White House). This quote is strongly related to Karl Marx’s main argument in his â€Å"The Jewish Question,† where he explains the strong connection between inequality and freedom, the types of freedom in everyday society, and the difference between human emancipation and political emancipation, all of which Obama’s quote demonstrates and alludes to. They prove that there is an ultimate connection between the state’s idea of freedom and equality and that of society. In the United States of America, there is a common idea of freedom; that is being able to do as one wishes, as long as he or she does not push harm onto others nor limit the freedom of others. In addition, there is another common ideal of everyone being treated as equals. In fact, the Founding Fathers, the founders of the United States, wrote, â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienableShow MoreRelatedTheodore Roosevelt New Nationalism1280 Words   |  6 PagesOn August 31, 1910, former President Theodore Roosevelt visited Osawatomie, Kansas to give a speech and participate in a memorial dedication. (Hennessy, 1910). Roosevelt had declined to run for re-election to the presidency in 1908, deciding to exit politics and go on a yearlong African safari (Ellis, 2001, p. 284). 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