Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1. Craft Union:
2. Industrial Union :
3. General Union :
A term generally applied which accepts into membership all those desirous of
joining. It embraces all workers, from the unskilled to the skilled. It is distinguished
from the craft unions, which are confined to a group with homogeneous needs
objectives.
4. Closed Shop :
Under it the employer employs only union members; and the union often acts as
an employment agency for the industry. This type of security exercises control
over the supply of labour and thereby strengthens the union organisation. The
closed shop enables the union to ration job opportunities among members of the
union on some equitable basis. It eliminates factional strife within the working
force by giving a union exclusive recognition and an assured status. Further, it
improves discipline and brings about a greater feeling of responsibility and
interest in their jobs on the part of employees because they have a voice in
determining their working conditions. As employment is made contingent upon
the maintenance of good standing in the union, the commitment of the employee
to permanent union membership is secured. Closed shop also brings benefit to
the employers in so far as such arrangement puts an end to periodic, short but
troublesome interruptions in operations; besides putting an end to the frequent
demands by the union for concessions from the employer for the sole purpose of
holding membership. Wage costs are also standardized.
But as against these benefits, the closed shop is criticized on several counts. By
creating a labour monopoly, the employer is deprived of the privilege of selecting
a worker of his choice. It diminishes the powers of foremen and supervisors and
thus creates a problem of discipline in the plant because a closed shop exercises
great influence on the employees. Finally, the employee is obliged to accept the
decisions of the union, and in case of non-agreement or non-observance of the
decision, he runs the risk of losing the job, through expulsion from the union.
5. Closed Union
A Union which through various methods seeks to protect the job opportunities of
its members by limiting those who may enter the trade and become members.
Membership is restricted through unusually high initiation fees and dues, and by
laying down certain restrictive terms and conditions.
6. Union Shop :
A form of Union-security which lets the employer hire whomever he pleases but
requires all new employees to become members of the union within a specified
time, usually 30 to 90 days.
Under which all the employees in the bargaining unit must be or become members
of the union after a specified date. A union shop is desirable for the contribution it
can make to stabilize industrial relations. A union whose security is beyond
question can afford to be more reasonable on other matters such as promotions,
lay-offs and other points on which discrimination is possible against union
members.