labor

Jessey Drewsen, 25, lives near the H Street Wal-Mart in Washington, D.C. She says she doesn't like the store, but that she goes there for cheap supplies like pens. Emily Jan/NPR hide caption

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker became a Republican political star by taking on his state's public employee unions. This week he signed a bill that would weaken private-sector unions. Cliff Owen/AP hide caption

Hundreds of union members rally outside the Capitol in Madison on Tuesday to oppose a Republican-led measure that would make Wisconsin a right-to-work state. Reuters/Landov hide caption

More than $1 billion worth of cargo passes through the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach every day. Labor disputes have stalled operations for weeks now, and ships have been anchored for days. Daniel Hajek/NPR hide caption

A few trucks move along the docks at the Port of Los Angeles on Thursday. Seaports in major West Coast cities that normally are abuzz with the sound of commerce are falling unusually quiet due to an ongoing labor dispute. Nick Ut/AP hide caption

Fast-food workers in Los Angeles march in August 2013 to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Similar protests around the country have been organized by labor unions. Nick Ut/AP hide caption

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker spoke about taking on public employee unions, and the protests that followed, at a recent candidates forum in Iowa. He said what people may not know is that protesters — as many as 1,000 of them — showed up outside his home while his family was there. He says he also received death threats. Scott Olson/Getty Images hide caption

Fieldale Farms in Gainesville, Ga., says it can't keep enough workers to meet demand for its poultry products, despite paying $16 per hour plus benefits. Jim Zarroli/NPR hide caption

Nancy Becker, an Amazon employee in Bad Hersfeld, Germany, speaks at a protest rally outside the company's headquarters in Seattle in December. Ted S. Warren/AP hide caption

A worker unveils advertisement for future productions at the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center in New York City. The Metropolitan Opera's general manager Peter Gelb has threatened a lockout if there is no an agreement with unions to that represent musicians, stagehands and other employees. John Moore/Getty Images hide caption

Picketers supporting independent truck drivers at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach stand outside a container terminal. Kirk Siegler/NPR hide caption