Working in the construction industry, I find many laborers are often part of a union. Through conversations with them, specifically union electricians I have heard that these unions help them maintain better benefits, higher wages and job protection. Very little was mentioned of cons to being in a union from my personal interactions with union members. Through researching more on the topic, I found that union workers are often bound to the voice and decisions of their union, even if these decisions are not ones they stand by (Maryville, 2022). It can also be more difficult to advance to higher levels of seniority, leading to new employees having a higher chance of being laid off or passed over for a promotion.
As discussed in our learning materials, these aspects are often the main reasons employers resist unions. While employees like a higher wage and benefits, employers are not too fond of paying for this, instead not wanting to use union workers because it can be more expensive. There can also be restrictions of how they can schedule workers, and can constrain what managers can/cannot do managing their employees.
Overall, I don’t know if I would join one, I like the aspect of higher wages and benefits, but dont like the idea of not being able to move higher up because of being in the union. I feel I would need to speak more closely with those in my job position on how they view it, from both union workers and non union workers.
What are the pros and cons of unions? Maryville Online. (2022, April 12). Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://online.maryville.edu/blog/pros-and-cons-of-unions/
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