History and Origin of Trade Unions

The roots of the concept of trade unions can be traced back in history to Europe. Thereafter, billige fagforening became extremely popular and registered extensive growth during the industrial revolution throughout the world. During this period, the bargaining power of the employers had increased significantly causing several hardships and exploitation of the laborer thought out the world.

Mistreatment and underpayment for the labor had become a prevalent practice. Hence, all this became a good soil for rise of trade unions or labor unions. 

Historically, trade unions have been involved in the activities consisting of some or all of the following…

• Purveyance of benefits to its members

• Collective bargaining

• Industrial action

• Activities directed by political parties to which the trade union is affiliated.

Trade unions are establishments constituted by participation of individual workers, past workers, the unemployed, and even the professionals. Each country has legislated laws to define the scope and legality of labor unions. Trade unions are setup with the primary objective of maintaining the existing or improving the conditions of employment. For last three centuries, several hundred trade unions have been brought into existence with a small fagforening priser for the benefit of laborer class.

Many of these trade unions have been considerably influenced by different political ideologies. However, there have been incidents where political groups have exploited the employers by misusing the power of collective bargaining through affiliated fagforeninger which represents the negative side of the power of collective bargaining.


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