Trade Unions

Question 1

What’s a trade union?

Answer 1

TRADE UNION is an organisation which represents workers and protects their rights
through collective bargaining.

Question 2

What’s collective bargaining?

Answer 2

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING is the process where the trade union representatives negotiate on behalf of their members.

Question 3

What’s industrial action?

Answer 3

INDUSTRIAL ACTION means activities taken by trade unions when they have not been able to agree with employers through collective bargaining.

Question 4

Examples of industrial action?

Answer 4

The main examples of industrial action are:

STRIKE is when employees refuse to work
WORK TO RULE is when workers purposely follow all the rules in order to delay the progress of work.
GO SLOW is when the employees work at a very slow pace.
NON-COOPERATION involves workers refusing to follow a new procedure or rule.
OVERTIME BAN is when the employees refuse to work overtime or for additional hours of work apart from their normal working hours.

Question 5

What are the benefits of trade unions?

Answer 5

1. Workers will have their individual rights better protected e.g. if dismissed unfairly or discriminated against
2. More powerful voice when bargaining as a group (e.g. for pay rises) as can threaten industrial action if they are not listened to.