What exactly is a union? How will I benefit as a union member?

None of us have enough strength by ourselves to have a real voice at work. But if we work together as a group, we have strength. That’s what a union is: an organization of everyone who works for the same employer to:

* Stop our employers from doing things we don’t want them to do. For instance, as a union, we can stop the boss from giving us a hard time, firing us unjustly, working us too hard, etc.;

* Make our employers do things we want them to do: pay us fairly, improve our benefits, provide health care, improve the services we provide to our patients or clients, etc.

We negotiate issues like this into our union contract. A contract is a legally binding agreement that management can’t just change whenever it wants.

Workers form and join unions because when we speak with one unified voice, we are heard. By working together as a group, rather than as isolated individuals, we can address key issues and concerns in our workplaces.

Union members earn more money, have better benefits, are more productive, and have better job security than non-union workers. When there’s a problem on the job, employees and management can work together as equals to solve it.

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