A union in the workplace provides a voice for employees. Unions empower workers by uniting people with common goals. When people advocate as one, they are more powerful and can accomplish more than as individuals. A union in the workplace can provide many benefits:
Respect on the job
Better wages and benefits
Flexibility for work and family needs
A counterbalance to the unchecked power of employers
A voice in improving the quality of their products and services
Why join? Here are a few reasons:
A Voice on the Job. Union workers have the right to negotiate with their employer over wages, hours, benefits and working conditions. Without a union, management makes all the decisions alone. Without collective bargaining, Florida teachers and education staff professionals (ESPs) would have no legal rights at all under the state's "right to work" labor laws. Strength in Numbers. Union workers negotiate and organize for improvements as a unified group instead of as individuals. When we work together, this collective force translates into more power and a better chance of getting our voices heard. A Legally Binding Written Contract. Union workers have a contract that defines and guarantees the terms of our employment. The members of the union negotiate their contract with management. With help from union staff, we decide what gets proposed, elect our own bargaining team, negotiate the contract and vote to approve the contract. Protection and Support. Union workers need the assurance that our workplace rights, including health and safety conditions, are being upheld and monitored and ensure the ability to challenge any unfair or questionable decisions or actions. Respect. Union workers join, not because we’re against our employer, but because we want to improve our jobs by joining with co-workers to gain greater respect and control over our worksite and employment.
