After conducting some research on labor unions some of the pros and cons from joining a labor union are job security working in the labor union you have very good job protection from being fired by your employer. Another big benefit from joining a labor union can be the benefits. From talking with a co worker who is in the carpenters union they get good retirement benefits once they have worked a certain number of years. Some of the down falls with working in a union can be your union dues which you have to pay out of your check. Another con to working in the union is the set pay where it might be harder to get a pay increase when you work in the union because you have to work a certain number of hours, or years before you can move up to the next level in the union. The union does try to keep its employees compensation above the cost of living and will fight for wage increases by going on strike and forcing the companies to offer more in compensation. The union workers are normally all hourly based paid employees and if they work overtime they get compensated fairly for working that overtime. My key takeaways are that working in a union can be good for employees looking for a good retirement plan after working a set number of years in a position. The union jobs tend to be more blue collar workers such as trades in construction. Overall, I feel like working in the union is not for me I want the opportunity for advancement quicker if I prove to be doing the job efficiently, and I want to make a higher salary than most people in the union positions.
