What is a Labor Union?
A labor union, also commonly called a trade union, is an organization that works to advance the needs and desires of workers across various industry sectors. Labor unions traditionally represent workers in heavy manual labor jobs such as manufacturing and construction. Typically, an employer must recognize the union or employees must vote to organize through a majority vote before any one employee can join a union. Because the manufacturing and heavy labor sectors have been shrinking in recent decades thanks to outsourcing and a focus on technology and service jobs, the amount of unionized workers has declined substantially. Operation of a Labor Union When a company where a union represents the workforce hires an employee, the union often requires the employee to join. Often, the union requires a moderate one-time fee to join, and continued membership requires periodic payments known as union dues. Workers usually elect representatives to communicate with the union heads. Workers at ea
