Are unions still important today? Who runs the union? Find the answers to other frequently asked questions about unions and the labor movement.
What do unions do?
Unions are the principal means for workers to organize and protect their rights on the job. Unions pursue strategies and activities that serve the interests of their members, including representing members and negotiating with employers, recruiting new members and engaging in political action when necessary to support policies that improve working conditions for all workers.
What is collective bargaining?
Collective bargaining is the process where workers, through their union, negotiate with an employer over wages, benefits, hours, and working conditions. The terms agreed upon are written into a contract, which the union helps enforce on behalf of its members.
Are unions still important to working people today?
Unions are more important today than ever as workplaces are affected by a global economy with rapidly changing technologies. Unions help workers maintain a collective voice, protect fair standards, and ensure that skills, safety, and experience are valued. By acting together, workers are better positioned to address challenges, adapt to change, and build long-term stability.
Who runs the union?
Unions are democratic organizations run by their members. Members collectively decide priorities, elect leadership, and work together to address issues that matter in their workplaces and communities. IUOE leaders and officers are nominated and elected by the membership through a structured and transparent election process. In most local unions, officers are elected every three or four years. Every local union officer is also a working member.
What are union dues?
Like most organizations, union membership involves dues. These dues support the services and protections the union provides—similar to membership fees paid to professional associations, community organizations, or training programs. Cost is a valid concern, and it’s important to understand what you receive in return. Union dues should be viewed as an investment—one that provides long-term value and security. With IUOE, dues are reinvested directly into services that benefit members and their families, including:
- Negotiating and enforcing union contracts
- Representation in grievances, arbitration, and workplace disputes
- Pension and retirement planning
- Industry-leading training and apprenticeship programs
- Member discount and assistance programs, such as financial and legal resources
Can I be forced to go on strike?
No. Union members cannot be forced to go on strike. Strikes are always a last resort and occur only when negotiations fail after all other options—such as bargaining, mediation, or arbitration—have been exhausted. Any decision to strike is made democratically by the membership through a vote. In reality, strikes are rare. In the vast majority of cases—more than 99 percent—agreements between IUOE and employers are reached without interrupting work.
Why are unions important to working people?
Besides their essential function of representing their members, unions also help set the standards for education, skill levels, wages, working conditions, and quality of life for all workers. Unions work to establish laws improving job conditions for their members through legislation at the national, state/provincial and local level. This ultimately benefits all workers. The 8-hour workday is an example of a positive change won by unions that affects everyone.