What is a union?

A union is when workers come together as a collective to have strength and safety in numbers.

The members of a union support each other so that we don’t have to face a problem or negotiate improvements to our working conditions on our own. When workers stick together like this, we have a much better chance of getting a better deal.

Being a union member doesn’t mean that you are going against your boss. It simply means that we are looking after our own interests and are trying to make work the best it can be.

A union is democratic and is run by us, the members. As a union member you have a say in determining what we do. You elect your union representatives (delegates) from your workplace and decide what you focus on for your new collective agreement. You also have a say in how the wider union is run.