Union representation is a controversial topic in the workspace sphere. It has been established that the number of unionized workers continues to grow. This trend points to the fact that an increased number of employees consider union representation an important factor in their work (Stevenson, 2018). There are various positive and negative connotations that are associated with unions, and their impacts on society vary as well.
There are several positive effects that unions bring to employees. First of all, they offer protection from sudden and unjustified layoffs. Second, they promote better benefits and increased wages for the workers. Third, they set trends that are ethical and beneficial for the employees (such examples are minimum wage and overtime rules). Therefore, unions support the financial and moral stability of the workers and, subsequently, society. The negative impacts that unions bring lie firstly within the realm of additional monetary stakes. Certain unions require their members to pay fees, and hiring unionized workers can be more expensive than hiring non-unionized ones. The next difficulty that they provide for the employers is the fact that they focus more on seniority, which can make the promotion of new employees rather difficult. In addition, unions obstruct individuality since their members are bound by unions’ decisions (Stevenson, 2018). For society, these factors mean that new talent and its voices can be hindered by the unions’ agenda, which might stagnate important aspects of society’s development.
In conclusion, union representation in a workplace has the power to influence society both positively and negatively. On the one hand, it protects workers’ rights and ensures the financial stability of society. On the other hand, unions increase the spending of both workers and employees. Furthermore, since they focus more on seniority, they impede the promotion of individuality and new talent, which are essential for efficient market development.
Reference
Stevenson, M. (2018). Pros and cons of labor unions. HR Exchange Network. Web.