Question

To what extent can a union exploit benefit issues (e.g., health care insurance, pension, child-care benefits, and family leave) in an effort to organize more union members? Explain your reasoning.

Answer 1

There is a line of difference between exploitation of benefits for the betterment of the union members and abusing of the benefits to provide undue advantages to the union members. The way to measure the same shall be in terms of the actual efforts put in by such Union members towards the service of the organization. The benefits should be in line with the work done. If the work is more than the benefits conferred, then it shall imply that the employees are exploited more than they deserve to; while if the benefits are more than the services rendered by the employees, then it shall imply that such employees are unnecessarily seeking the advantage of unionization to abuse such benefits offered by the Organization. Hence, striking a balance between the two is essential.

Therefore to the extent the benefits are comparable with the efforts and where neither the efforts put in by the Union members; nor the benefits received by them, are above each other, can a union exploit such issues in an effort to organize more union members.