After doing some research on the pros and cons of labor unions, I found the following pros: union workers on average receive a slightly higher median income than nonunion workers, unions allow workers to file and have complaints addressed, and can support the worker if they choose to sue their employer. Unions can help workers attain better working conditions/benefits from their employers if they are unhappy with the status quo. Some cons of labor unions that I found are that due to the structure of unions, it can be hard for members to rise up quickly as seniority is an important factor in making promotions, unions can have mandatory fees or dues that some workers may not want to pay, unions can increase costs which can lead to tension between the labor force and the management.
I have actually been in a union myself when I worked at a grocery store, when I joined I learned that it was mandatory and that there would be a small fee coming out of each of my paychecks, but if I ever had any issues with the management or my pay/working conditions I was always welcome to contact them and they would help rectify the situation. I never ended up having to use their resources and I was paid an acceptable amount and I was content with my working conditions so I didn’t have any further communication with them. The fee that they took out of my paychecks was pretty small so I didn’t mind just in case I did need their help.
Comparing my experience to what we learned in class I think that the union I was a part of did their job well, they were noninvasive and stood as a support system to any employees that may have been wronged and worked to prevent anyone from being taken advantage of provided resources if they were. Also since their fees were not very large so I was fine with paying them. If I were to join another union I would want it to be similar to the one I was in previously where they are there if I need them but if I don’t then they have minimal involvement.
Citation: Josephson, Amelia. “The Pros and Cons of Unions.” SmartAsset, 30 May 2023, smartasset.com/career/the-pros-and-cons-of-unions.
Leave a Reply