Chapter 19 Trade Union

Question 1

Role of trade unions

Answer 1

negotiate with employers

provide benefits to workers

pressure governments

Question 2

What do unions push for when they negotiate with employers (4)

Answer 2

higher wage

more fringe benefits

more job security

better working conditions

Question 3

What do trade unions pressure governments about (5)

Answer 3

favourable legislation

push for political representation of workers

maternity/paternity righs

implementing/raising minium wage

tax breaks for low income workers

Question 4

What other benefits do trade unions provide to their worker (4)

Answer 4

infromation/education training

legal advice/representation

better relations with employers

social opportunites

Question 5

Define craft unions

Answer 5

represents workers with particular skill

Question 6

Define general unions

Answer 6

represents workers with a range of skills and from a range of industries

Question 7

Define industrial unions

Answer 7

represents all the workers in a particular industry

eg: those in the rail industry

Question 8

Define white collar unions

Answer 8

represents particular professions

eg: pilot, teacher

Question 9

Define collective bargarining

Answer 9

groups of people negotiate for a certain change with the employer or government

Question 10

Why is collective bargaining effective (4)

Answer 10

impossible to blame one individual

strength in numbers, workers wiling to spea up

can threaten strikes and other forms of industrial actions

employers cannot fire a large proportion of workforce

Question 11

Define industrail action

Answer 11

worker actions whic disrupt production in order to put pressure on employers to meet their demands

Question 12

What are the 3 types of industrial actions (3)

Answer 12

strike action

“go slow”

“work to rule”

Question 13

defie work to rule

Answer 13

work minimum amount required by contract

Question 14

Define go slow

Answer 14

work deliberately slowly

Question 15

Arguments trade unions can use to push for higher wages (4)

Answer 15

higher worker productivity (worker should be payed what they deserve)

higher firm/industry profitability(firm should give proportion of profit to workers)

comparability arguements (worker in similar occupation have a payrise)

inflation (higher prices = increased cost of living, workers have to maintain their standard of living if inflation increases)

Question 16

Factors that affect the strength of trade unions (6)

Answer 16

time: recession/boom

whether legislations are favourable to trade unions

Level of employment in an economy

profitability

proportion of firm’s workers who are unionised

level of skill, training and education required in the job

Question 17

Advantages of trade unions (3)

Answer 17

trade unions benefit workers

trade unions can benefit firms
-better relations with workers due to pay rise and better working condition
-increased producivity if demands are met
- lower labour turnover

Trade unions can benefit non-unionised workers (pay rise and working condition includes all workers)

Question 18

Disadvantages of trade unions (4)

Answer 18

Firms harmed by industrial action

Industrial action can harm the wider economy

Union members may feel forced to take part in industrial action

Trade unions benefit workers at the expense of other workers (higher wages = less demand for workers, non-unionised workers harder to get jobs)