Reasons to Join Trade Unions:
There are many reasons for which The Workers Join Trade Unions.
1. Greater Bargaining Power
The individual employee possesses very little bargaining power as compared to that of his employer. If he is not satisfied with the wage and other conditions of employment, he can leave the job. It is not practicable to continually resign from one job after another when he is dissatisfied. This imposes a great financial and emotional burden upon the worker. The better course for him is to join a union that can take concerted action against the employer. The threat or actuality of a strike by a union is a powerful tool that often causes the employer to accept the demands of the workers for better conditions of employment.
2. Minimize Discrimination:
The decisions regarding pay, work, transfer, promotion, etc. are highly subjective in nature. The personal relationships existing between the supervisor and each of his subordinates may influence the management. Thus, there are chances of favoritisms and discriminations. A trade union can compel the management to formulate personnel policies that press for equality of treatment to the workers. All the labor decisions of the management are under close scrutiny of the labor union. This has the effect of minimizing favoritism and discrimination.
3. Sense of Security:
The employees may join the unions because of their belief that it is an effective way to secure adequate protection from various types of hazards and income insecurity such as accident, injury, illness, unemployment, etc. The trade union secure retirement benefits of the workers and compel the management to invest in welfare services for the benefit of the workers.
4. Sense of Participation:
The employees can participate in management of matters affecting their interests only if they join trade unions. They can influence the decisions that are taken as a result of collective bargaining between the union and the management.
5. Sense of Belongingness:
Many employees join a union because their co-workers are the members of the union. At times, an employee joins a union under group pressure; if he does not, he often has a very difficult time at work. On the other hand, those who are members of a union feel that they gain respect in the eyes of their fellow workers. They can also discuss their problem with' the trade union leaders.
6. Platform for self expression:
The desire for self-expression is a fundamental human drive for most people. All of us wish to share our feelings, ideas and opinions with others. Similarly the workers also want the management to listen to them. A trade union provides such a forum where the feelings, ideas and opinions of the workers could be discussed. It can also transmit the feelings, ideas, opinions and complaints of the workers to the management. The collective voice of the workers is heard by the management and give due consideration while taking policy decisions by the management.
7. Betterment of relationships:
Another reason for employees joining unions is that employees feel that unions can fulfill the important need for adequate machinery for proper maintenance of employer-employee relations. Unions help in betterment of industrial relations among management and workers by solving the problems peacefully.
Employees join unions in order to get fair representation. When employers are not treating them fairly, employees may feel that they don't have a voice, but unions counter that.
It became legal to join a trade union in Britain with the Trade Union Act of 1871. This legislation provided legal protection for trade unions and their members.
Trade unions or labor unions were formed to bargain for better pay, hours, benefits, and working conditions. Most major industries today have labor unions to protect their workers.
Central Council of Trade Unions was created in 1921.
Labor Unions
Trade Unions Forum was created in 2002-04.
Vanuatu Council of Trade Unions was created in 1985.
Kampuchean Federation of Trade Unions ended in 1999.
Union of Trade Unions of Chad was created in 1991.
Federation of Egyptian Trade Unions was created in 2011.
Federation of Trade Unions of Burma was created in 1991.
Independent Trade Unions of Croatia was created in 1992.