Can You Please Explain Different Types Of Trade Unions?

A labor or trade union is an organization of workers formed to promote, protect, and improve, through collective action, social, economic, and political interests of its members. The dominant interest with which the union is concerned is economic. In this area desires and demands for improved wages, hours, and working conditions are foremost. Business unionism holds to the thesis that a union's major objective is to protect and improve the economic position of members.

A particular employee often has a variety of reasons for joining a union. Frequently, it is the only avenue towards obtaining a job. In three-fourth of the labor contracts of this nation, union membership is compulsory for which management can find to substitute, a sense of freedom from arbitrary management action. A theoretically perfect management could provide more than fair hours, wages and working conditions as well as institute a most complete and effective human relations and integration program.

But there is no way other than through organized and collective force that an employee can feel independent enough to challenge the actions of formal superiors in management. Perfect management cannot give this desired sense of freedom and importance. The ability to offer freedom from actual or potential arbitrary management decrees and actions concerning the industrial lives of employees is a primary source of strength for the labor union.

5 trade unions and the types of employee trade they represent 17 may 2009

Trade Union is a group of people who joins hands in order to fulfill their goals and benefits. All the members of the organization or union have to pay annual subscription and their interests will be secured by the union. There is one Union leader who talks with different government departments on the behalf of all members of the union to secure their interests. The negotiation between the employers and trade unions is called industrial relationship. There are different types of trade unions including General Unions, Industrial Unions, Skill Unions and even white collar unions.  They are working in different styles like skill unions which represent rights of skilled unions.

The industrial unions represent the rights and protection of workers related to industries or any particular industry. So unions vary from industry to industry and organization to organization. Every union has some mission and objectives which is different from other unions. The motive of these unions is to bargain from the top management of any organization for wages, allowances and bonuses and it is called collective bargaining. Modern trade unions are not limited to just increments and pay but they are real advocates of workers' rights. So this is the working of the trade unions.

Trade Unions are the outcome of the initial exploitation of the working class by the capitalists, during the great Industrial Revolution. The working class realized that the only way out of their miserable plight was in a collective approach to the issue. It was the initiative taken that resulted in the formation of Trade Unions. At the outset, the union leaders broached the issues plaguing the workers like the inhuman number of working hours, lack of safety measures in the factories and very low wages. Well, nothing has changed today. Issues just as important are handled by the unions even today. However, what has changed is that the governments of most nations protect the interests of the working class directly or indirectly, under special directives within the framework of the constitution.

There are different types of Trade Unions operating today. Some of them are:
- Craft of Skills Unions: These unions represent the skilled workers. Example: MU or Musicians Union.
- Industrial Unions: These unions represent the different industries. Example: FBU or Fire Brigade Union.
- General Unions: They represent workers from different industries and any level of skill. Example: Manufacturing Science and Finance Union.
- White Collar Unions: They represent office workers. Example: National Union of Teachers.