What Do Labor Unions Provide?
Labor unions are benevolent, membership organizations that function as advocates for the rights of U.S. workers. The typical labor union hierarchy begins with local unions in small jurisdictions such as cities and towns. Locals report to district councils that are accountable to national headquarters. The American Federation of Labor and Congress of International Organizations (AFL-CIO) consists of 57 labor unions that represent more than 12 million workers, as of 2011. A few of the largest unions in the AFL-CIO are the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Communication Workers of America (CWA) and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG).
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Collective Activity
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Labor unions base their advocacy on the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), which guarantees workers' rights to engage in collective activity in the workplace. The NLRA, which is also referred to as the Wagner Act because it was sponsored by U.S. Senator Robert Wagner, passed in 1935 to protect the rights of workers whose employers imposed unfair working conditions. Labor unions provide assistance to workers who might be subject to unfair employment practices that include excessive work, nonpayment for overtime and denial of benefits and pay increases.
Experienced Negotiators
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Labor unions provide experienced negotiators to represent the interests of their members during contract negotiations with employers. Contract negotiations establish wage rates, periodic increases and employee benefits. Labor union contracts are usually called collective bargaining agreements. Collective bargaining agreements set forth guidelines for disciplinary action, grievance and arbitration processes, management rights and other conditions, such as bidding processes for certain positions and work schedules, seniority provisions and access to on-site union stewards for advice concerning workplace issues and concerns.
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At-Will Employment Protection
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With the exception of some public sector jobs and appointed positions, employees are subject to employment at-will. Employment at-will means an employer can terminate an employee for any reason or for no reason at all, at any time with or without notice, provided discrimination is not the underlying basis for discharge. Labor unions negotiate "discharge for cause" agreements in most labor contracts. This type of clause protects members from at-will employment provisions. Workers covered by a collective bargaining agreement are protected from being terminated without cause; therefore, employers must have sufficient cause to terminate union employees. Discharge for cause means the employee must have engaged in some form of workplace misconduct or inattention to workplace rules regarding performance or attendance to be fired.
Relocation Assistance
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Relocation assistance is available to members of certain labor unions. Labor unions that represent workers in trades such as carpentry, bricklaying, plumbing and electrical work assist workers in finding a job when they move to a new city. Traditionally, labor organizations had union halls where newcomers could register with the local union to get referrals to employers seeking employees in these trades. Technology replaced the brick-and-mortar union hall concept. Members use online resources to find local union contact information and job prospects.
Member Discounts
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Labor unions provide many other benefits that are not related to the workplace or advocacy for employee rights. By virtue of the large membership numbers, many unions that belong to the AFL-CIO provide their members with access to scholarships, retail discounts and lower rates for home, auto and life insurance. Personal services like retirement and investment advice, legal assistance and wellness benefits are also provided to labor union members.
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