Trade Unions, Guilds and Labour Movements

Concepts on Guilds

Concepts on Trade Unions/ Labour Union

What is a trade union or labour union?

• Organisation of workers who have come together to achieve common goals
  • protecting integrity of trade
  • improving safety standards
  • achieving higher pay
  • benefits: health care and retirement
  • Increasing employees an employer assigns to complete work
  • better working conditions
• Leaders of union bargains and negotiates with employer on behalf of union members (rank and File members) for
  • Labour Contracts (Collective bargaining)
  • Maintaining or improving conditions of employment
    • negotiation of wages
    • work rules
    • complaint procedures
    • rules governing hiring, firing and promotion of workers, benefits, workplace safety and policies

What are the different kinds of trade unions?

• Craft unionism: Particular section of skilled workers
• General unionism: Cross-section of workers from various trades
• Industrial unionism: All workers within a particular industry

Reference

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trade_union