Trade Union

Trade Union

Lets Recall!

​Grade 10/​Second Term 2021/2022

What is a Trade Union?​

​Trade unions are groups of employees who work together to promote and preserve their members' interests (workers). They want to improve payment rates, working conditions, and other aspects of the job.

A trade union's functions are as follows:

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• Negotiating with employers to boost non-wage benefits.

• Defending the rights of employees.

• Improving working conditions, such as longer hours and improved safety precautions.

• Increasing wages and other perks.

• Supporting employees who have been fired or discriminated against unfairly.

• Members' talents are being developed through training and education.

• Providing members with recreational opportunities.

• When employers fail to meet their needs, workers engage in industrial action (strikes, overtime bans, etc.). These will be discussed further on in this article.

Factors that can affect an individual’s choice of occupation:

Wages/salaries

Bonuses/commission

Pension

Holiday entitlement

Proximity to home

Promotion prospects

Working conditions

Canteen/social facilities.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is not an advantage to a business of their members being from a trade union?

• Better working conditions

• Well trained employees

• Easier to negotiate than communicating with individual employees

• Improves productivity and efficiency

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a function of Trade Union?

• Members skills and education enhancement programmes

• Ensuring high level of output

• Lowering tax rates

• Reducing buffer inventory

Multiple Choice

Which of these factors will an employee consider before being employed in an organisation?

• Availability of Cheap labor

• Closeness to consumers

• Promotion Prospects

• Size of site

Open Ended

Collective Bargaining refers to

Fill in the Blanks

Workers refuse to work and may also protest or picket outside their workplace to stop deliveries and prevent other non-union members from entering. They don’t receive any wages during this time. This will halt all production of the firm.

Open Ended

What is meant by a trade union?