Can someone explain to me what is a "union" and how it works?

Question

some employers are in a union.. can someone explain what it is and how it works please??

Answer 1

"A Trade Union (Labour union), ... is a continuous association of wage-earners for the purpose of maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment"[1].

My opinion: Unions are forced representation for a group of employees. They take your money saying they will defend you, but really they just hurt the company the employees work fro.

Answer 2

A union is a group of employees who get together to make a contract with the employer. This contract generally spells out working conditions, rate of pay, job descriptions, and the rights of the employees and the employers. Union members pay dues to belong which are supposed to be used for the benefit of the members. The dues cover legal representation while bargaining for a contract, just as pro athletes have agents to negotiate contracts. The dues also go into a strike fund so employees won't be completely broke if a strike is called.Some of the dues money goes to labor friendly politicians for elections. Being in a union gives workers protection from employers who are only looking at profits and couldn't care less about workers welfare. Unfortunately I work for one of these companies. If the employer refuses to negotiate in good faith, the union members can vote for a strike. The idea that the union makes workers strike is one of the biggest myths about unions because the members vote on it. If a strike is called, the members refuse to work until a fair contract is negotiated. Most companies fear unionization because it usually gives the workers better pay and working conditions than a company is willing to do. In short a union is just like a group of kids who band together to protect themselves from a schoolyard bully.

Answer 3

Well, Tim has one point of view.....the negative one.......Unions also do good. A Trade Union (Labour union), ... is a continuous association of wage-earners for the purpose of maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment.

They negotiate contracts with the companies guaranteeing pay and benefits, they help protect your job by representing you when you have a greivance with the company. Some other things that labor unions have accomplished are they brought an end to child labor practices, improved worker safety, increased wages for both union and non-union workers, raised the entire society's standard of living, reduced the hours in a work week, fought for and won public education for children, and brought a host of other benefits to working class families.

Answer 4

Adding slightly to Tim S's comments, unions were necessary years back (100+) when companies took advantage of employees and there was no means of employees "fighting back" against the company. It was a way that employees could work as a team against the company in order to receive reasonable wages or benefits or whatever.

In today's society, there are enough laws and regulations against discrimination and in favor of employee rights that unions, in my opinion, are unnecessary. Many industries still have them (auto makers, teachers, doctors, ...) but I think they would all be better off without a union. Note though that I have always worked in the tech field and without a union, so my view leans very much towards individual assessment instead of a group benefits.