O LevelEconomicsCambridge (CIE)Revision Notes3. Microeconomic Decision Makers3.4 Trade UnionsTypes of Trade Unions

Types of Trade Unions (Cambridge (CIE) O Level Economics)

Revision Note

Steve Vorster

Types of Trade Unions

  • A trade union is an organisation that represents the interests of its workers in negotiations with a firm’s management or owners

  • The interests of the worker include

    • Wage and non-wage benefits of employment

    • Health and safety in the working environment

    • The reduction of discrimination and worker exploitation

  • Trade unions are usually formed by the members of specific industries

    • Airline pilots have a pilots' union

    • Rail and sea workers have a rail and maritime union

  • If there is no specialist union for an industry, most economies have a number of general unions which any worker can join e.g. In the UK, UNISON is the largest trade union, and it represents workers from across the public sector including those working in local government, education and health

  • All trade unions can be classified into one of four categories
     

Types of Trade Unions

Type of Union

Explanation

General Union

  • These represents skilled and unskilled workers in any industry e.g. truck drivers, football referees, musicians and gardeners

Industrial Union

  • These represents workers in the same industry. Anyone in the industry can join, irrespective of skill level or seniority e.g. The Fire Brigades Union in the United Kingdom

Craft Union

  • These represent skilled workers with a specific trade e.g. painters, electricians

White Collar Union

  • These represent professional office-based (‘white-collar’) workers e.g. financial advisors, teachers, architects, designers

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