A union is an organization formed by workers who join together to have a voice in their workplace and use their strength to negotiate from a position of strength with employers over wages, benefits, workplace health and safety, job training, and other work-related issues. Unions are democratic organizations, and their leaders are elected by the membership. Unions may organize a particular section of skilled or unskilled workers, a cross-section of workers from various trades, or an attempt to organize all workers within a particular industry. The agreements negotiated by a union are binding on the rank-and-file members and the employer, and in some cases, on other non-member workers.

Collective bargaining is the process of negotiation between employees and their employer over wages, working conditions, benefits, and other aspects of workers compensation and rights. Unions work together to negotiate and enforce a contract with management that guarantees decent wages, affordable health care, job security, and a stable schedule. Unions also serve an important role in making sure that management acts fairly and treats its workers with respect.

Unions are teams of individuals coming together to guarantee decent wages, affordable health care, job security, safe and respectful workplaces, and fair scheduling. People joining together in unions advocate for work standards and conduct, and management still has a responsibility to address poor performance. Unions make sure the hiring process is objective, so management can’t just hire and promote their friends.

Union workers are more likely than their non-union counterparts to have access to health care and pension benefits. Ninety-five percent of union members have health insurance and a pension plan available, versus approximately 68 percent (health insurance) and 63 percent (pension) of those not in a union.

To form a union, workers must take official steps to show interest in forming a union and gain recognition from their employer. After a group agrees to unionize, the union can negotiate a collective bargaining agreement, which is a legally binding contract between the union and employer.