Chapter 10

Why employees frequently unionize? It is because they feel that individually, they will be unable to exercise the power regarding their employment conditions at any particular employer. The treatment and benefits they receive depend in large part on how their employers view their worth of the organization. It should be pointed out that some employees join unions because of the union shop provisions of the collective agreement that require employees to join as a condition of their employment. Others join because the employer is a closed shop—only members of a union will hire—or because they choose to under an open shop provision. Even when forced to join, many employees eventually accept the concept of unionism. The sections that follow look at some of the more specific reasons people unionize and what role and/or organization plays in the unionization process.
Whether or not, a union can become the bargaining agent for a group of employees will be influenced by the employees’ degree of dissatisfaction, if any, with their overall employment conditions. For example, employees may feel their concerns about health and safety are ignored or they may be required to wear uniforms without being reimbursed for the cost. It will also depend on whether the employees perceive the unions as likely to be effective in improving these conditions.
Employee may seek unionization when they perceive that managerial practices regarding promotion, transfer, shift assignment, or other job-related policies are decidedly unfair. Employee cites favouritism shown by managers as a major reason for joining unions. This is particularly true when the favouritism concern discipline, promotion, and wage increase. Unions will describe the structured complaint process in the collective agreement as a formal way in which employees can have their complaints heard and acted on.
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