Unions Simulation
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Unions Simulation Teacher Guide
Hello and thank you so much for purchasing my Unions Simulation! My students have really enjoyed this, and I have enjoyed seeing the concepts and familiar battle lines come to life. I hope your students enjoy it too!
The lesson is designed to have a warm up, a goal statement, an agenda slide, a (very) brief overview of work conditions and famous strikes, then the instructions to the simulation, and then finally a quick exit ticket to cement major ideas.
In general for the simulation, students are divided into one of three groups: bosses, strike-breakers, and union leadership. Each with their own desired outcome or goal.
Begin by walking students through the warm-up, goal statement, agenda, and mini-lecture to refresh their minds on the era in question.
To start the game, prompt the “Bosses” group to announce how much they plan to cut wages by. If needed, try to encourage the bosses to announce a pay cut in the range of $10-12/hour. This is a number that is acceptable to the replacement workers, but unacceptable to union leadership–starting conflict
Next round, prompt replacement labor to negotiate with the bosses. Prompt the Union group to decide whether the pay cut is “acceptable” and if not, what actions could be taken.
From there, let the simulation play out until it reaches an organic conclusion. My classes have ended a few different ways– the union getting arrested for threats of bombs, the unions accepting a pay cut to $13/hour, replacement labor being hired at $11/hour after several set-backs, etc. The key is students realizing the tenuous relationship between unions and their bosses, and union members and replacement labor.
At the conclusion of the activity get students back in their designated seat, discuss the activity, and administer the exit ticket.
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