The Difference Between a Union and a non-Union Workplace (original) (raw)

Have you ever come across a word like "Non-Union position" inside a job posting anywhere? Did you stop to think what it means? or what is the difference generally between a "Union" and a non-Union workplace? Without going philosophically, let's know this in brief:

In a Union workplace:

The Union bargains with the employer for a contract, and then makes sure that the contract is carried out. Your Collective Agreement is a contract. Contracts are legal documents between you and your employer that spell out wages, benefits, and rules of employment.

In a non-union workplace:

The employer makes all the rules, sets all the wage rates, and makes all the decisions on things like discipline, promotions, and hours of work. The worker has no voice.

The pros of belonging to a union

Better wages: The median weekly income of full-time wage and salary workers who were union members in 2010 was 917,accordingtotheU.S.BureauofLaborStatistics.Fornonunionworkers,itwas917, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. For nonunion workers, it was 917,accordingtotheU.S.BureauofLaborStatistics.Fornonunionworkers,itwas717.

More access to benefits: Medical insurance is the most important of them all either for same sex or opposite sex and more often to these benefits if they were unionized

Job security: Nonunion employees are typically hired “at will,” meaning they can be fired for no reason. There are exceptions. Employers can’t terminate a worker for discriminatory reasons such as race, religion, age and the like. Nor can they fire an at-will employee for being a whistle blower and certain other reasons.

However, workers with union jobs can only be terminated for “just cause,” and the misconduct must be serious enough to merit such action. Before an employee can actually be fired, he or she can go through a grievance procedure, and if necessary, arbitration.

Strength in numbers: Unionized workers have more power as a cohesive group than by acting individually.Through collective bargaining, workers negotiate wages, health and safety issues, benefits, and working conditions with management via their union.

Seniority: Employers usually are required to dismiss the most recent hires first and those with the most seniority last — sometimes called “last hired, first fired.”. it can be a factor in determining who gets a promotion.The idea is that seniority eliminates favoritism in the workplace.

The drawbacks of a union work life vs a non-Union workplace

Union dues and initiation fees. Dues can range from $200 to several hundred dollars per year, partially offsetting higher wages. Some unions also require a one-time initiation fee. Dues help the union pay for officials’ salaries and conducting union business, but members sometimes complain about the amount they pay, how the money is spent, and how it is allocated between the national and local union.

Loss of autonomy. The flip side of job security is that union members sacrifice individuality by belonging to a group. You may disagree with the union’s decisions, but you are bound by them.

Less collaborative work environment. Unionized workers experience less of a sense of partnership and trust with their supervisors, according to a survey conducted by the Gallup and Healthways organizations last year.

Seniority. The advantages that seniority provides can be a detriment to newer employees. You may be more productive or talented than a veteran worker, yet you’re the one who likely will be laid off in a downsizing. A union’s collective bargaining agreement also may require employers to provide other perks based on seniority rather than merit to the detriment of junior workers with union jobs. Some agreements enable a worker displaced from a job to “bump” another worker with less seniority and take his or her job.

This was like a brief presentation to show some differences between Union and Non-Union workplace. Now, which one is your favorite?

Some sources: IAMAW Northwest District 250. www.bankrate.com