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What are the benefits of working for a union?
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Re: What are the benefits of working for a union?
It depends on the union......
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Re: What are the benefits of working for a union?
I got this from a website---there are alot of negatives to joining a union but you asked for the positives so here they are:
One of the most obvious benefits of belonging to a union is higher pay.
The difference for part-time workers is even more dramatic. The union wage advantage for part-time workers is almost 70 percent!
Unionized part time employees also tend to work more hours per week, and when combined with higher average hourly wages, this means that weekly earnings nearly double
Unions have also significantly closed the gender gap. Women with union representation earn an average of 89 percent of the wages earned by men, compared to 71 percent in non-unionized workplaces.
Union representation also means that you are more likely to have a dental and health care plan at your workplace, coverage for sickness or accidents, and a pension plan to which your employer contributes.
Unionized workers generally have better paid vacation leave than non-union employees.
The same gap exists for health care benefits such as dental plan coverage and supplemental health care plans.
Unions lead to healthier and safer workplaces.
Unions give workers a voice in making their workplaces safe by participating in decision making about health and safety through Joint Health and Safety Committees.
Unionized workers also have access to training on health and safety. And they have support when they challenge employers about unsafe working conditions.
In cases where workers do get injured on the job, the union can help workers through the maze of Workers Compensation.
In a non-union workplace, workers are at the mercy of the boss. If an employee has a complaint related to the workplace, he or she can attempt to talk to a manager about it, but the manager doesn't have to do anything. The manager might act on the complaint, ignore it or even punish the employee for raising the issue - it all depends on the nature of the complaint, the company's labor-management philosophy or even the manager's mood on that particular day.
In a unionized workplace, on the other hand, grievances and complaints are handled in an entirely different manner. Unlike the non-union environment where the workers are basically subject to the whims of management, workers in unionized firms have a clear set of rights which are outlined in detail in their collective agreements. If the employer breaches provisions of the collective agreement - for example, if he or she fires a worker without just cause or if an employee is being harassed in some way on the job - then the worker can take defensive action through the established grievance procedure.
Union members don't have to face the boss or make their way through the red tape of labour law alone. Union shop stewards and representatives are there to support individual workers who have been treated unfairly.
Union members also benefit from ongoing training and educational opportunities through courses offered by their union.
Union members also often have access to a broad range of other support services: everything from counselling for family and personal problems to help with tax preparation to discounts and special offers negotiated with local businesses.
Workers are stronger when they face management shoulder to shoulder than when they stand alone. Almost all workers have the right to form and belong to unions, and labor laws protect your right to join a union and to participate in union activities.
One of the most obvious benefits of belonging to a union is higher pay.
The difference for part-time workers is even more dramatic. The union wage advantage for part-time workers is almost 70 percent!
Unionized part time employees also tend to work more hours per week, and when combined with higher average hourly wages, this means that weekly earnings nearly double
Unions have also significantly closed the gender gap. Women with union representation earn an average of 89 percent of the wages earned by men, compared to 71 percent in non-unionized workplaces.
Union representation also means that you are more likely to have a dental and health care plan at your workplace, coverage for sickness or accidents, and a pension plan to which your employer contributes.
Unionized workers generally have better paid vacation leave than non-union employees.
The same gap exists for health care benefits such as dental plan coverage and supplemental health care plans.
Unions lead to healthier and safer workplaces.
Unions give workers a voice in making their workplaces safe by participating in decision making about health and safety through Joint Health and Safety Committees.
Unionized workers also have access to training on health and safety. And they have support when they challenge employers about unsafe working conditions.
In cases where workers do get injured on the job, the union can help workers through the maze of Workers Compensation.
In a non-union workplace, workers are at the mercy of the boss. If an employee has a complaint related to the workplace, he or she can attempt to talk to a manager about it, but the manager doesn't have to do anything. The manager might act on the complaint, ignore it or even punish the employee for raising the issue - it all depends on the nature of the complaint, the company's labor-management philosophy or even the manager's mood on that particular day.
In a unionized workplace, on the other hand, grievances and complaints are handled in an entirely different manner. Unlike the non-union environment where the workers are basically subject to the whims of management, workers in unionized firms have a clear set of rights which are outlined in detail in their collective agreements. If the employer breaches provisions of the collective agreement - for example, if he or she fires a worker without just cause or if an employee is being harassed in some way on the job - then the worker can take defensive action through the established grievance procedure.
Union members don't have to face the boss or make their way through the red tape of labour law alone. Union shop stewards and representatives are there to support individual workers who have been treated unfairly.
Union members also benefit from ongoing training and educational opportunities through courses offered by their union.
Union members also often have access to a broad range of other support services: everything from counselling for family and personal problems to help with tax preparation to discounts and special offers negotiated with local businesses.
Workers are stronger when they face management shoulder to shoulder than when they stand alone. Almost all workers have the right to form and belong to unions, and labor laws protect your right to join a union and to participate in union activities.
Member since
Re: What are the benefits of working for a union?
Posted by Preshy7
I got this from a website---there are alot of negatives to joining a union but you asked for the positives so here they are:
One of the most obvious benefits of belonging to a union is higher pay.
The difference for part-time workers is even more dramatic. The union wage advantage for part-time workers is almost 70 percent!
Unionized part time employees also tend to work more hours per week, and when combined with higher average hourly wages, this means that weekly earnings nearly double
Unions have also significantly closed the gender gap. Women with union representation earn an average of 89 percent of the wages earned by men, compared to 71 percent in non-unionized workplaces.
Union representation also means that you are more likely to have a dental and health care plan at your workplace, coverage for sickness or accidents, and a pension plan to which your employer contributes.
Unionized workers generally have better paid vacation leave than non-union employees.
The same gap exists for health care benefits such as dental plan coverage and supplemental health care plans.
Unions lead to healthier and safer workplaces.
Unions give workers a voice in making their workplaces safe by participating in decision making about health and safety through Joint Health and Safety Committees.
Unionized workers also have access to training on health and safety. And they have support when they challenge employers about unsafe working conditions.
In cases where workers do get injured on the job, the union can help workers through the maze of Workers Compensation.
In a non-union workplace, workers are at the mercy of the boss. If an employee has a complaint related to the workplace, he or she can attempt to talk to a manager about it, but the manager doesn't have to do anything. The manager might act on the complaint, ignore it or even punish the employee for raising the issue - it all depends on the nature of the complaint, the company's labor-management philosophy or even the manager's mood on that particular day.
In a unionized workplace, on the other hand, grievances and complaints are handled in an entirely different manner. Unlike the non-union environment where the workers are basically subject to the whims of management, workers in unionized firms have a clear set of rights which are outlined in detail in their collective agreements. If the employer breaches provisions of the collective agreement - for example, if he or she fires a worker without just cause or if an employee is being harassed in some way on the job - then the worker can take defensive action through the established grievance procedure.
Union members don't have to face the boss or make their way through the red tape of labour law alone. Union shop stewards and representatives are there to support individual workers who have been treated unfairly.
Union members also benefit from ongoing training and educational opportunities through courses offered by their union.
Union members also often have access to a broad range of other support services: everything from counselling for family and personal problems to help with tax preparation to discounts and special offers negotiated with local businesses.
Workers are stronger when they face management shoulder to shoulder than when they stand alone. Almost all workers have the right to form and belong to unions, and labor laws protect your right to join a union and to participate in union activities.
Thanks.. so what's the negatives.. doesn't seem like there would be too many..
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Re: What are the benefits of working for a union?
Well for one, if the union leaders decide to strike, you have to strike. And most likely lose pay for each day you do. when the MTA went on strike around X-mas time, so many of the workers were not for the strike. They lost a lot of money, plus fines!
Posted by BellaEyes
Thanks.. so what's the negatives.. doesn't seem like there would be too many..
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Re: What are the benefits of working for a union?
Posted by dleenyWell for one, if the union leaders decide to strike, you have to strike. And most likely lose pay for each day you do. when the MTA went on strike around X-mas time, so many of the workers were not for the strike. They lost a lot of money, plus fines!
Posted by BellaEyes
Thanks.. so what's the negatives.. doesn't seem like there would be too many..
That happened to my Dad many many moons ago....he ended up being fired for going on strike, even though he'd rather have worked.
For a long time I hated unions for what they did to him...however now Im in the teacher's union and it really is a great thing- My union hasnt be on strike in over 30 years and will mostly likely not anytime soon.
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Re: What are the benefits of working for a union?
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Re: What are the benefits of working for a union?
Its difficult to lose your job working for a union you have to be a real screw up
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Re: What are the benefits of working for a union?
Posted by BellaEyes
Posted by Preshy7
I got this from a website---there are alot of negatives to joining a union but you asked for the positives so here they are:
Workers are stronger when they face management shoulder to shoulder than when they stand alone. Almost all workers have the right to form and belong to unions, and labor laws protect your right to join a union and to participate in union activities.
Thanks.. so what's the negatives.. doesn't seem like there would be too many..
Union workers don't usually have the benefit of the free market, which can be both a good and bad thing. As we all know, life has its ups and downs, in one career you might earn twice what a union would get paid, in another you might get half of what a union worker would make. The union simply is a straight line in essence. An individual worker wouldn't get the benefit of 'incentive clauses' and it wouldn't be as easy to get laid off if there is a downturn in market.
There are definite benefits, but I personally have turned down job offers that were unionized simply because I don't want someone over me telling me 'here, this is what you need to think and do.' Too many hoops to jump through to get a simple task done...and a lot of the 'positives' listed above aren't as easily accessible or candy coated as they appear to be. Oh yeah, and they also didn't mention that while the wage a union worker makes might be higher, there is no mention how much the union takes out, er, excuse me, 'is voluntarily donated' to union dues.
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Re: What are the benefits of working for a union?
There are so many advantages, especially for me being a teacher. Parents and kids will sometimes take things to the extreme (spreading rumors, trying to bully you into changing a grade) and it's nice to have union representation if you have a meeting with administration that might turn hostile.
I thank God for my health benefits (I do pay a portion) and espcially for my 50K lifetime infertility benefit which we are 15K into by now.
If I was still at Catholic school not only would I not be able to get time off for treatment but I couldn't get health insurance coverage.
I'd be paying out of pocket but if they found out I was going for treatment I would be fired beause it's not God'd way![]()
My Dad was union for 34 years and I am proud to be as well.
As far as dues are concerned, mine are less than $700 a year. I make 70K, yet when I worked in Catholic school I made 24K. Definitely worth the $700 if you ask me![]()
I thank God for my health benefits (I do pay a portion) and espcially for my 50K lifetime infertility benefit which we are 15K into by now.
If I was still at Catholic school not only would I not be able to get time off for treatment but I couldn't get health insurance coverage.
I'd be paying out of pocket but if they found out I was going for treatment I would be fired beause it's not God'd way
My Dad was union for 34 years and I am proud to be as well.
As far as dues are concerned, mine are less than $700 a year. I make 70K, yet when I worked in Catholic school I made 24K. Definitely worth the $700 if you ask me
