Question

State any two functions of a trade union.

Answer 1

1. Protection: Trade unions safeguard workers against all sorts of exploitation by the employer and political parties. A union provides protection from unfair labour practices and atrocities of management. It also tries to revise the status of workers in industry and society. Trade unions resist the retrenchment of their members and help to ensure steady employment for workers. Unions serve as a check on arbitrary actions by employers.
2. Proper Standard of Living: Unions attempt to secure for workers fair wages, proper working conditions and welfare facilities like Jilealth, housing, recreation and social security so as to ensure a desirable living standard for them. An individual worker is not in a position to secure fair wages and working conditions from the employer. He joins a union because unions have better bargaining power to get these economic benefits for workers.