Lesson 1
This lesson focuses on the history of the minimum wage in the United States. Students will explore the recent movement for a $15 minimum wage and whether or not it should be more.
READ:
Minimum Wage in America: A Timeline
WATCH:
READ:
Forget $15 an Hour — the Minimum Wage Should Be $24
Discussion Questions:
- Why do we have a minimum wage?
- Do you think there should be a minimum wage? Why or why not?
- What do you think the minimum wage should be? Is $15 enough?
- What would be some potential benefits of a higher minimum wage?
Lesson 2
In this lesson students will learn about the history of the labor movement and unionizing in the United States. Union membership has been decreasing, but there has been a lot of attention placed on Amazon workers trying to unionize. This lesson will look at their efforts and the challenges they face.
WATCH:
READ:
50 Years Of Shrinking Union Membership, In One Map
Fired, interrogated, disciplined: Amazon warehouse organizers allege year of retaliation
WATCH:
READ:
The $185 million campaign to keep Uber and Lyft drivers as contractors in California
Update: Proposition 22 passed in California.
Discussion Questions:
- What does a union do? Why are they important? Why do Amazon workers want to unionize?
- What has the labor movement accomplished? How does this relate to race? Gender/ gender identity? Sexual orientation?
- Why don’t companies want their workers to unionize? How do they prevent them from unionizing?
- What do you think the future of unions will be?
