Major Advantages of Trade unions
Trade unions are organizations that are formed on a continuous basis by employees for the purpose of achieving a diverse range of benefits. For one thing, they help employees with maintaining and improving their working conditions in a most effective manner. Trade unions include associations of both the workers and the employers as well as the federations of their associations. The Trade Union Act of 1926 defines the relationships that have been talked above to be both temporary and permanent. This in turn points out that they are applicable to contractual workers as well.
Relationships in a trade union
According to the Trade Union Act 1926, there are three distinct relationships in a trade union, which are between:
- Employees and employees
- Employees and employers
- Employers and employers
Thus, trade unions can be considered as an effective means of communication system in which a group of workers negotiates with their employers, issues regarding payment, working hours, job security and such making use of the collective power of its members. To put it more simply, trade unions represent the interests of the members and strive towards achieving the same in an effective manner. They are considered voluntary associations that are formed with the motive of protecting the common interests of the members and also to promote welfare. They help immensely in securing the political, economic and social interests of its members. In addition to this, they also help in settling grievances, enforcing the terms of collective bargaining regulate relations for the benefit of the employees.
Types of trade unions
There are mainly four types of trade unions which are craft unions, industrial unions, general unions and white-collar unions. As the name implies, craft unions specifically deal with workers that come under a particular skill. Industrial trade unions represent all employees working in an industry and cover almost any type of skill that comes under it. General unions represent workers with different skills and white-collar unions represent employees that have special skills.
Advantages of trade unions
Recent years have brought about significant increase in the services offered by trade unions for their members. Most trade unions are observed running training courses for members that help them get a better understanding of employment rights, safety, health and other issues pertaining to employment. Some unions are also found to help members who have dropped out of school with little education, being provided with classes on basic skills and other courses that help them to achieve professional qualifications.
Along with education and training, some trade unions also assist their members by providing help and support regarding legal issues. They also help workers in their personal matters like wills, debts, construction of houses, etc. What’s more advantageous is the fact the trade unions these days provide discounts on insurance, loans and mortgages availed by their members. Also, they are known to support their members who have hit hard times; providing them with financial support when they are sick or unemployed.
Hence, it can be rightly said that trade unions are inevitable components that help in raising the status of laborers as a part of the industry. Read more about career planning (læs mere om karriereplanlægning as we say in Danish) and you can change your day!
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