Labor Unions Pros and Cons

Before diving into the pros and cons of a labor union let’s dive into what a labor union is. A labor union is an organized group of workers who work together to make decisions about the conditions that affect their work. The main point of a labor union is to bring economic justice to the workplace. There are different opinions on labor unions some see them as beneficial and for strong working conditions others see it as too many restrictions.

To dive into the benefits of a labor union the first one is labor unions do a great job of increasing communication and transparency between the employers and employees. It tends to make the employees feel more valued as they are being told the truth. This also goes along with giving employees more impact in their workplace and more of a say which also makes them feel more connected. The next benefit is for the employees it can result in better pay, benefits, higher job satisfaction, and job security. Labor unions are approved by the american people as “7 in 10 or 71% approve of labor unions” (AFGE, 2016).

Now on the other hand some cons come with labor unions. The first and main one is, that some unions do not always act for the benefit of all employees and can become corrupt. The leaders of these unions can not act in the best interest of the employees and act in their best interest. This then does more harm to the employees and the company. With this unions also require dues and fees that some workers may not have the extra funds to pay. This then leads to pay discrimination against those who do not have the funds. There is also no salary increase for making a union so starting one will be a financial burden.

After doing some personal research and reviewing my values I do align with the values of a labor union and could see myself joining one. I value having a say in the workplace and allowing my voice to be heard. Having transparency in a company is huge and labor unions are big on that. There are still issues with them as there are issues with everything in life but having people who are honest and care about having certain regulations is valid in an organization. You can not allow the currupt individuals ruin labor unions as if we did that everything would be ruined. For these reasons and the fact that we need people who care to be in these unions I would support the employees and employers in a unionization effort.

Resources:

https://www.afge.org/article/new-poll-shows-7-in-10-americans-support-labor-unions/#:~:text=The%20poll%20confirms%20a%202022,unions%2C%20the%20highest%20since%201965.

https://smartasset.com/career/the-pros-and-cons-of-unions