FUNCTIONS OF TRADE UNIONS
The main objective of a trade union is Regulation of Terms and Conditions of Employment of its members.
Unions also have other core specific functions which include the following:-
- NEGOTIATIONS
In order to fulfill the main objective of securing decent terms and conditions of employment, trade unions engage in activities and programs to promote and ensure adequate wages, secure better conditions of employment, reduce hours of work, get better and respectable treatment from employers, protect members and secure some control of the industry/institutions. In order to achieve these functions trade unions adopt the methods of Collective Bargaining Negotiations, Strikes, or Boycotts, Diplomacy, Legal Proceedings, this is what we call Ground Militant. It is only a trade union that has these mandates within the provision of the law.
2. WELFARE ACTIVITIES
Trade unions have the responsibility of helping and supporting members during sickness, accidents, natural calamities, unemployment, victimization during strikes and lockout. Trade unions also run schools for the children of the workers provide library facilities to their members, they provide indoor and out door sporting facilities. This is how trade unions enhance and support their members.
3. REPRESENTATION
Trade unions select their leaders to represent workers interests on the Boards of Directors, participate in general elections, in order to have their members elected in order to champion interests of members in parliament and in senates so as to achieve a socialistic state by influencing policy and law formulations.