WHAT DO UNIONS DO? WHY DO EMPLOYEES JOIN UNIONS? “Union n.1. The condition of being united, the act of uniting, or a conjunction formed by such an act. 2. An association, alliance, or confederation of individuals or groups for a common purpose, esp. political.” Wilkes 1998: pg. 1677 When talking of the subject of Industrial Relations, the type of union that is most prevalent is that of a trade union. This main focus of this essay will be …showed first 75 words of 1744 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1744 total…workforce, high job mobility rate and inadequacy inside the unions”. There are also many other reasons why union membership is declining, and the ACTU has felt it necessary to step in and stop this downward spiral. In 1997, the ACTU spent 40 million dollars on improving managerial roles in trade unions. This means that, although the membership levels are low, the unions themselves will still be a strong figure in the inevitable conflict between employees and employers.