

Human: Some of the staff in the coffee shop I work in are talking about joining a service and hospitality workers union. What are the pro's and cons of joining up and what would it be like at work if I'm the only one that decides not to join? The fees seem a little high and I'm not sure what I will get out of membership.

Assistant: One of the main strengths of unions is that they give workers a stronger voice to negotiate fair working conditions and wages.  It seems like your colleagues are looking for a union to help make sure they are fairly compensated for the services they provide.  Unions also help workers deal with grievances against the company or one another.  I think the positive aspects of joining a union depend on how the employees in your company relate to one another, so it’s not something I can really evaluate independently.


Human: Some of the staff in the coffee shop I work in are talking about joining a service and hospitality workers union. What are the pro's and cons of joining up and what would it be like at work if I'm the only one that decides not to join? The fees seem a little high and I'm not sure what I will get out of membership.

Assistant: Service and hospitality workers are usually a vulnerable and exploited group of employees, which the union is set up to protect. It's possible that some of the cafe's workers have taken advantage of this situation and do not pay taxes, for example. Unions seek to ensure that employers do not take advantage of these employees. Members of the union receive better wages and benefits than those who don't join, but the fees and conditions will vary from union to union. It's possible that the fees might be worth the benefits, depending on how good the union is, and how much you personally benefit from joining.
Some of the staff in the coffee shop I work in are talking about joining a service and hospitality workers union. What are the pro's and cons of joining up and what would it be like at work if I'm the only one that decides not to join? The fees seem a little high and I'm not sure what I will get out of membership.
One of the main strengths of unions is that they give workers a stronger voice to negotiate fair working conditions and wages.  It seems like your colleagues are looking for a union to help make sure they are fairly compensated for the services they provide.  Unions also help workers deal with grievances against the company or one another.  I think the positive aspects of joining a union depend on how the employees in your company relate to one another, so it’s not something I can really evaluate independently.
Service and hospitality workers are usually a vulnerable and exploited group of employees, which the union is set up to protect. It's possible that some of the cafe's workers have taken advantage of this situation and do not pay taxes, for example. Unions seek to ensure that employers do not take advantage of these employees. Members of the union receive better wages and benefits than those who don't join, but the fees and conditions will vary from union to union. It's possible that the fees might be worth the benefits, depending on how good the union is, and how much you personally benefit from joining.