Trade unions play an important role and are helpful in effective communication b

etween the workers and the management. They provide the advice and support to en
sure that the differences of opinion do not turn into major conflicts. Seeking a
healthy and safe working environment is also prominent feature of union activit
y.

Trade unions help in accelerated pace of economic development in many ways as fo

llows:
* by helping in the recruitment and selection of workers.
* by inculcating discipline among the workforce
* by enabling settlement of industrial disputes in a rational manner
* by helping social adjustments. Workers have to adjust themselves to the ne
w working conditions, the new rules and policies. Workers coming from different
backgrounds may become disorganized, unsatisfied and frustrated. Unions help the
m in such adjustment.

Important social responsibilities of trade unions include:

promoting and maintaining national integration by reducing the number of industr

ial disputes
incorporating a sense of corporate social responsibility in workers
achieving industrial peace

Why Employees Join Unions

Individuals join unions for many different reasons, and these reasons tend to ch
ange over time. They may involve dissatisfaction with management, need for a soc
ial outlet, opportunity for leadership, forced unionization, and peer pressure.
A union is an organization that represents employees' interests to management on
issues such as wages,
hours, and working conditions. Generally, employees seek to join a union when th
ey are
(1) dissatisfied with aspects of their job,
(2) feel a lack of power or influence with management in terms of making changes
, and
(3) see unionization as a solution to their problems.

Dissatisfaction with Management: Unions look for problems in organizations and

then emphasize the advantages of union membership as a means of solving them. Ma
nagement must exercise restraint and use its power to foster management and labo
r cooperation for the benefit of all concerned. Some reasons for employee dissat
isfaction are described:
1. Compensation: If employees are dissatisfied with their wages, they may look t
o a union for assistance in improving their standard of living.
2. Job Security: If the firm doesnt provide its employees with a sense of job se
curity, workers may turn to a union. Employees are more concerned than ever abou
t job security due to a decline in employment in such key industries as automobi
les, rubber, and steel.
3. Management Attitude: Employees do not like to be subjected to arbitrary and c
apricious actions by management. In some firms, management is insensitive to the
needs of its employees. When this situation occurs, employees may perceive that
they have little or no influence in job-related matters, thus becoming prime ta
rgets for unionization.