When I started researching labor unions, I realized how much debate surrounds them and how many different perspectives exist. A lot of what I found online emphasized that unions help employees gain stronger bargaining power, better wages, and more reliable benefits. The Economic Policy Institute reports that union members often earn higher pay than non-union workers and have better access to health care and retirement plans. This lined up with what we learned in class about how unions can correct power imbalances and give employees a collective voice.
I also learned about the potential drawbacks. Many employers argue that unions increase labor costs and can make it harder to adjust to new conditions in the workplace. At a broader level, some people worry about strikes and how they can interrupt services. I talked to someone who used to be in a union, and they said the protection was helpful, but they sometimes felt frustrated by strict seniority rules. Their experience showed a different side that our materials did not focus on as much.
My biggest takeaway is that unions can be very valuable when employees feel unheard or when working conditions are not fair. I would consider joining a union if I believed my workplace lacked transparency or if I saw major differences in how people were treated. If management ignored issues that affected everyone, collective action would feel necessary. On the other hand, if a company already treated its employees fairly and communicated openly, I might not feel the need to join.