The Role of Labor Unions to the Workers

Workers and the role of Labor Unions
Name
Course
Institution
Date
Question 1
In the modern economy workers face a lot if challenges and unions serve to protect their interests. Unions play a major role in advocating for the compensation and welfare of their members. It protects the interests of all workers related to their profession regardless of their mode of affiliation to the body (Radcliffe, 2019). Over the years since their development, unions have played a significant role in advocating for issues such as wage increase for its members. According to a recent report, unions have successfully negotiated for the rise in wages of workers by 20% and raised compensations, including both wages and benefits, by about 28% (Radcliffe, 2019). This is an important role for the Union towards workers as it shows they cannot be underpaid while they are under the unions. Since history in the United States workers have tried to fight the issue of wage inequality unsuccessfully but with the inclusion of unions workers are protected from poor wages as the union protects low wages workers, white collar and blue collar workers which is an implication equality on wages has been achieved through the unions (Radcliffe, 2019). In addition, through unions, unionized workers have the benefit of receiving more generous health care treatment as opposed to nonunionized workers. In terms of incurring health care costs they pay 18% lower health care deductibles and an added family coverage (Radcliffe, 2019). After years of working during retirement, unionized workers have an approximated 24% more likely to be covered by health insurance paid for by their employer which is an important type of coverage during the elderly years.
Question 2
There are certain advantages and disadvantages that are associated with unionized workers as it will be further discussed. One of the advantages pros of being under the labor union is that they provide workers protection which plays an important role to a unionized worker as they cannot be fired from work out of discrimination. It ensures that there is a justified reason for firing a worker as opposed to workers that are not under the union (Livingston, 2020). Another advantage is better wages and benefits for workers that are achieved through the collective bargaining power that provided by the union on behalf of workers (Livingston, 2020). Despite the United States workforce not being fully unionized still it ensures that the t...