Unionizing will provide the employees at Happy Trails with a number of advantages. Firstly, if the Licensed Practical Nurses unionize, they will enjoy job security unlike if they were not. The union gets to make decisions for them about their termination and disciplinary action. When they file their complaints, the union representatives have the role of taking it up with the management. Joining a union will ensure that Happy Trails provides the LPNs with safe working conditions and they can expect constant raises in their wages and benefits. The union will also look into issues of health coverage, vacation time, and sick leave (Saez, n.d.). The union will negotiate and review the terms of the collective agreement on behalf of the LPNs. This is because being in a union with other workers in the same field makes it easy to negotiate and get better deals with the employers. This helps the management at Happy Trails as well since they will not have to deal with an entire group, which is efficient and fast. A disadvantage that will befall Happy Trails due to unionizing would be the loss of individuality since one will be bound by the union’s decisions. In addition, the LPNs will be required to pay union dues in order to enjoy the improvements. This payment is advantageous to Happy Trails management since it cements the LPNs dedication to the union, hence, Happy Trails will enjoy low turnover rates (Saez, n.d.).
During the organizing effort, the union representatives will look at a number of issues affecting the LPNs jobs and employment. The union will look at their working hours and overtime. This means they will look at the specific hours and might limit the amount of time the nurses are required to work overtime or request that Happy Trails pays the LPNs more for overtime. They will also look at the working conditions of Happy Trails staff and ensure that the management provides them with better conditions in terms of benefits and compensation. In addition, during the organizing effort, the union may address issues of wages, which, in this case, Happy Trails wants to reduce even lower than the previous group of registered nurses. The union will negotiate with the Happy Trails management to ensure that their need to reduce the amount spent on nurses’ compensation and benefits does not affect their wages.
References
Saez. A. (n.d.). Advantages & Disadvantages of Labor Unions. Demand Media. Retrieved from http://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/advantages-disadvantage-labor-unions-3553.html
