Trade Unions

Definition

Trade unions are organizations of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The union leadership, elected by the workforce, negotiates with the employer on behalf of union members.

Analogy

Think of trade unions like a sports team's players association. Just like how athletes band together to negotiate contracts and ensure fair treatment, workers in a trade union do the same with their employers.

Related terms

Collective Bargaining: This is the process where working people, through their unions, negotiate contracts with their employers to determine their terms of employment.

Strike: A work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees in a business to work. It is often used as a method of enforcing demands relating to changes in salary or working conditions.

Labor Rights: These are legal rights and claimed human rights affecting labor relations between workers and employers. They include the right to form unions and bargain collectively.