Pros And Cons Of Trade Unions

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Life of workers was poorly treated by employers until the existence of the unions. Unions are organizations, formed in order to protect workers’ right, to help them working in suitable environments and to make a better life for them. • History of Unions: Historically, there were some wealthy business owners who were willing to sacrifice the quality of life, the health and safety of their workers in order to keep their business running and to gain profits. There were no minimum wages laws. For instance, many employers chose to pay their workers not in cash but in company scrip, which was redeemed only at the company store. The workers did not have the choice, but to work for the food, or else they would be starving. Both children and women…show more content…
"With all their faults, trade unions have done more for humanity than any other organization of men that ever existed. They have done more for decency, for honesty, for education, for the betterment of the race, for the developing of character in men, than any other association of men." said Clarence Darrow. …show more content…
It is the process in which a group of working people, bands together, discusses what they think they deserve for the work they do, and allows individual voice of workers to be heard. The group of workers elects one person as the representative of the union to meet with their employers (or one employer, who is typically representing company’s shareholders) in order to negotiate the terms of employment, including wages, benefits, hours, leave, job health and safety policies, ways to balance work and family and more (AFL-CIO). Unions have more power to negotiate better and more effective than worker takes the action individually. For instance, a worker feels like he is working under an unsafe conditions, but he might have limited power to get the head of company and discuss about this problem. However, if the entire workforce agrees with him that higher workers’ safety regulations need to be implemented in the factory, and bands together to pressure the company to install it, there is a greater chance that the company will approve to the request. As an employer, there is also an advantages of dealing with union’s collective bargaining, which is easier and less complicated with the negotiations process. When an employer deals with a labor union, one does not have to negotiate with multiple employees, but just simply talk to one representative of the

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