All worksheets / American Labor
Edition 2026Active Merit Badge
American Labor
Official Requirements & Fillable Workbook · 2026 Edition
American Labor is about the people who do the work and the arrangements that govern it — unions, bargaining, grievances, strikes, globalization, and the tradeoffs between owners, workers, and the public. Requirement 7 asks you to argue both sides of a live issue, which is the heart of the badge: you have to make the strongest case for a position before you decide what you think.
Key Requirements Covered:
- Worker Concerns & Fair Labor
- Union History & Collective Bargaining
- Labor Law & Dispute Resolution
- Global Trade & Workplace Trends
12Printable Pages
9Requirements
2016Reqs Revised
What is on the worksheet: American Labor Requirements
Every requirement for the American Labor merit badge, word for word as published, with room to write under each one on the printed worksheet.
1Concerns of American Workers
Using resources available to you, learn about working people and work-related concerns. List and briefly describe or give examples of at least EIGHT concerns of American workers. These may include, but are not limited to, working conditions, workplace safety, hours, wages, seniority, job security, equal-opportunity employment and discrimination, guest workers, automation and technologies that replace workers, unemployment, layoffs, outsourcing, and employee benefits such as health care, child care, profit sharing, continuing education, and retirement benefits.
2Visiting a Labor Organization
With your counselor's and parent or guardian's approval and permission, visit the office or attend a meeting of a local union, a central labor council, or an employee organization, or contact one of these organizations via the internet. Then do the following:
- a Find out what the organization does.
- b Share the list of issues and concerns you made for requirement 1. Ask the people you communicate with which issues are of greatest interest or concern to them and why.
- c Draw a diagram showing how the organization is structured, from the local to the national level, if applicable.
3What Unions Are and How They Work
Explain to your counselor what labor unions are, what they do, and what services they provide to members. In your discussion, show that you understand the concepts of labor, management, collective bargaining, negotiation, union shops, open shops, grievance procedures, mediation, arbitration, work stoppages, strikes, and lockouts.
4Two Styles of Bargaining
Explain what is meant by the adversarial model of labor-management relations, compared with a cooperative-bargaining style.
5The Labor Movement in History
Do ONE of the following:
- a Develop a time line of significant events in the history of the American labor movement from the 1770s to the present.
- b Prepare an exhibit, a scrapbook, or a computer presentation, such as a slide show, illustrating three major achievements of the American labor movement and how those achievements affect American workers.
- c With your counselor's and parent or guardian's approval and permission, watch a movie that addresses organized labor in the United States. Afterward, discuss the movie with your counselor and explain what you learned.
- d Read a biography (with your counselor's approval) of someone who has made a contribution to the American labor movement. Explain what contribution this person has made to the American labor movement.
6Globalization
Explain the term globalization. Discuss with your counselor some effects of globalization on the workforce in the United States. Explain how this global workforce fits into the economic system of this country.
7Arguing Both Sides
Choose a labor issue of widespread interest to American workers—an issue in the news currently or known to you from your work on this merit badge. Before your counselor, or in writing, argue both sides of the issue, first taking management's side, then presenting labor's or the employee's point of view. In your presentation, summarize the basic rights and responsibilities of employers and employees, including union members and nonunion members.
8Competing Goals and Compromise
Discuss with your counselor the different goals that may motivate the owners of a business, its stockholders, its customers, its employees, the employees' representatives, the community, and public officials. Explain why agreements and compromises are made and how they affect each group in achieving its goals.
9Careers in Labor Relations
Learn about opportunities in the field of labor relations. Choose one career in which you are interested and discuss with your counselor the major responsibilities of that position and the qualifications, education, and training such a position requires.
Two dates, two different things
Requirements Revision vs. Worksheet Date
Scouting America last revised the American Labor requirements in 2016. That is the badge, not this sheet — an older year does not mean the worksheet is out of date.
Verbatim Fidelity & Verification
This worksheet was checked against https://www.scouting.org/merit-badges/american-labor/ in Aug 2026 and reproduces the requirements word for word. Both dates are printed on the sheet, so a copy in a binder can always be placed in time.
Requirement text is © Scouting America, reproduced verbatim. The worksheet layout and design are original to this project.
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