Directorate of distance education master of business administration

Why Do Employees Join Trade Union?
 
Workers join trade unions because they are constrained by 
circumstances to do so; and because they want:
ӹ
ӹ To get economic security; that is, they want steady employment 
with an adequate income
ӹ
ӹ To restrain the management from taking any action which is 
irrational, illogical, discriminatory or prejudicial to the interests 
of labour. Workers desire that the assignment of jobs, transfers, 
promotions, the maintenance of discipline, layoffs, retirement, 
rewards and punishments should be on the basis of pre-
determined policy and on the basis of what is fair and just
ӹ
ӹ To communicate their views, aims, ideas, feelings and frustrations 
to the management; that is, they want to have an effective voice 
in discussions which affect their welfare
ӹ
ӹ To secure protection from economic hazards beyond their control; 
for example, illness, accident, death, disability, unemployment 
and old age
ӹ
ӹ To get along with their fellow-workers in a better way and to gain 
respect in the eyes of their peers; and
ӹ
ӹ To get a job through the good offices of a trade union.
 
Plants get unionized for three reasons – dissatisfaction, lack of 
power and union instrumentality. Dissatisfied employees seek union 
membership to improve work situation. Employees believe unionization 
fetch them power. Power, in turn, is believed to remove dissatisfaction. 
Employees take unions as instruments to remove dissatisfaction.

---

251
In general, the expectation that work will satisfy personal 
preferences induces satisfaction or dissatisfaction with work. As the level 
of dissatisfaction increases, individual workers seek to change their work 
situation. If they fail, and if the positive consequences of unionization 
seem to outweigh the negative ones, individual workers will be inclined 
to join the union.