Unions are the norm nowadays; many people tend to join multiple unions to have more influence over their employers. It’s thought that having a membership at a reputable union might help with all of the employee rights’, including workers’ compensation. But, do they actually help? Let’s find out!
But before that, let’s dive deeper into what labor unions are and why they’re so popular. We must know exactly what labor unions are so that we can identify whether these help in getting workers’ compensation. So, without further ado, let’s explore more about labor unions.
Labor Unions: What Are They?
Generally speaking, a labor union is a group of workers who gather around to influence the working conditions within or outside their workplaces. They strive to bring economic justice to employees within the workforce.
Moreover, labor unions have become very popular nowadays. Not only do they contribute towards justice, but they also help increase wages, ensure workplace safety, facilitate working conditions, and much more.
Unions also help members to handle legal procedures during the workers’ compensation process. They also help give advocacy to get the best possible outcome. Furthermore, unions provide a mental boost to fight for the claim and ensure a safer workplace for the workers. Moreover, the union has its welfare fund for the injured members.
So, Do Unions Help With Workers’ Compensation?
Definitely.
Unions work for the betterment of its members, and they try to provide every possible support to achieve justice. As for workplace injury compensation, labor unions play a huge role in ensuring that workers’ are not deprived of their rights. Also, they try to ensure that the workers are getting maximum possible compensation for their injuries.
So, how do unions help?
They help workers in the following ways:
- Assuring assistance during the claiming process
- Ensuring justified collective bargaining agreements
- Assisting the workers to return to work
- Advocating for Change
Assuring assistance during the claiming process
Workers often struggle to find a suitable headstart when they’re claiming the workers’ compensation. Many of them are not usually not recovered from injury shock, and they have to deal with many files and papers that they have very little knowledge. Or, many of them do not have sufficient funds to hire expert workplace injury lawyers.
Here’s where Unions come into action.
Every union has an expert panel of lawyers, government officials, and other people who continuously work to provide the workers with proper guidance on making a claim. Interestingly, they also help workers go through the whole process and identify missing information and pitfalls that may decrease the amount of workers’ compensation.
Sometimes, unions also play a part in accelerating the workers’ compensation claiming process.
Collective Bargaining Agreements, a blessing for Union Workers
Collective bargaining agreements (CBAS) is a contract between the employers and the unions. It deals with certain rights of workers like workplace injury claim, grievance procedures, working hours, wages, etc.
Workers should seek information and guidance to CBAS about workplace injury claims before making a claim.
Through CBAS, injured workers could exercise their injury compensation right in the best possible way.
Unions help workers returning to work
Unions help to hold the job open for the members until they fully recover from the injury. A worker may want to contact with union representative first before returning to his/her job. The representative may advocate for any that a worker seeks. Workers may even get help from unions during their vocational rehabilitation.
Unions Advocate for Change
Unions play a pivotal role in workplace safety. Employers sometimes don’t give enough attention to workplace safety issues. Workers may have to work in an environment that is dangerous to their health.
Sometimes the workplace lacks minimum safety procedures. These demotivate the workers to show their full capacity and creativity.
Union can influence a lot to improve the workplace environment. They can arrange meetings or call for the protest to change the workplace environment for the betterment. Their collective bargain helps to get injured workers better workers’ compensation.
They even help non-union workers to get more security and compensation. They also can pressurize employers to improve their workers’ mental health.
Conclusion
Labour Unions fight for the betterment of the workers goes back at the beginning of industrialization. Workers faced much more injustice than a couple of decades ago. It’s the union that has always been pushing employers to give the rights and privileges that the workers deserve.
Workers’ compensation is a rightful demand of the workers. But the workers are not getting the deserved right in many cases. Labour union is giving a constant fight to fulfill the demands and rights of the worker.
