Trade unions and employers’ associations
Trade unions
Trade unions are organisations which support and represent employees.
Employees can join a union to enable them to have a collective voice. Employees pay an annual subscription to have the trade union negotiate on their behalf.
Trade unions have certain aims:
- to advance the interest of their workers
- to achieve the best working conditions for their members
- negotiate pay deals for their members
- attend An official complaint against an employer or another person within the organisation and A hearing regarding an employee who is not following the rules of conduct required by the organisation. in support of their members
- provide members with legal advice and financial advice
Trade unions operate a system called The negotiation of wages and other conditions of employment by an organised body of employees.. This is based on the idea that many people speaking with one voice can achieve better results than a solitary employee who could be easily ignored.
Some well-known trade unions include:
- the National Union of Journalists (NUJ)
- UNISON
- the Transport and General Worker’s Union (TGWU)
Employers' associations
Employers' associations are the owners' and managers' version of An organisation of workers which attempts to improve the pay and working conditions of its members. These groups often represent employers during any negotiation with the unions.
As with trade unions, employers' associations are a way for employers to speak as one voice to promote the economic or social interests of their members.