The Pros And Cons Of Trade Unions

A union is an organized group of workers who are dedicated to protecting members’ interests, negotiating with businesses and corporations on their behalves, to improve their wages, working conditions and hours.
Trade Unions ensure that workers receive fair treatment, protection and various other benefits in the workplace. These include, - but are not limited to- social security payment, overtime pay and minimum wage. Its role is not only confined to protecting employees, but also stabilizing economic activity by increasing the share of national income that goes to wages rather than profit. This thus, leads to greater expenditure on the worker’s behalf leading to an increase in consumerism and job opportunities, stimulating its growth.
Out of
the pool of issues millennials face today, one leading problem is the unsatisfactory and rigorous working conditions. Many youthful members report that they are not taken seriously, bullied and harassed or are talked down to, when offering suggestions. Although such a problem is not unique in the working sector, some of these people are so new to the experience that they do not know how to address the issue, and/or have little power to challenge the poor working conditions, attitude or low wages. In that respect, in a unionized workplace, the dues are used not only to protect jobs but to fund negotiations for better wages and working conditions and to work for better laws for workers and their families.
Another concerning issue is that young people tend to face financial burdens, debt, and the high cost of living.
Many are parents, primary caregivers, or are helping their family, and those who aren’t, are students under the crippling weight of high tuition fees, student debt and education cuts. Therefore, they tend to work two or more jobs at the same time to stay afloat, which have meagre wages, where more often than not, they are target of exploitation due to their tight position. In regards to this, unions are a reliable asset to ensure that the minimum, if not the suitable wage requirements are being met with, due to the fact that they are regulated by federal and provincial legislation in Canada. Not only are they required by law to be financially accountable to their members, but since they get their funds only from their members, the chances of divided loyalties are close too
nonexistent.
The benefits of unions for young workers are not simply confined to higher wages and better working conditions, but have something much more intangible — safety and human dignity, a sense of collective responsibility and power.
In a unionized workplace they have a voice and an advocate, which play a role in fighting for workers’ right to safety in the workplace. It is in the process of struggling for basic rights and improvements where the workers not only get collective rights through union membership, but also develop and deepen their sense of being part of a larger movement and gain an understanding of capitalism. There are also examples of new initiatives and successful approaches unions use to organize and involve younger members. This includes reaching out to the people to attend leadership trainings, and organizing youth conferences and engaging them in recreational ways. Other benefits include, retirement plans, health insurance, vacation, educational or sick leave, and tuition
reimbursement.
However, despite the incentives in being a part of a union, the percentage of young workers in such are relatively low and demographic weight is steadily declining. It has been noted that among the reasons why there was a low participation of the working youth in unions was the fact that either they were simply unaware of its existence, or were wary of joining them. The key to tackle such a problem is to understand the audience for effective communication. To do so unions are adapting new technology as a means of promotion and raising awareness. Through text messages, blogs and social networking websites, more and more young workers can be reached and enlightened about its constructive gains.
The transition of young people into employment is fraught with difficulties ranging from finding well-paid employment to having a stable environment. In such cases, unions are the ideal solution to the hurdles at hand that safe