> Unions

Profile: UNITE HERE Union
The merger of some of the best-known unions from the early 1900s has led to creation of UNITE HERE, a national labor union representing diverse occupations and members. Here's how it came into being.

Profile: International Brotherhood of Teamsters Union
International Brotherhood of Teamsters is one of the nation's best known unions. Here's how it evolved over the past century.

Profile: Service Employees International Union SEIU
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) has been steadily growing in membership reversing a trend found in many other U.S. labor unions. Here's an explanation of some of its success.

Solidarity Charters for Local & State Unions
The AFL-CIO's Solidarity Charter program has encouraged a unified labor movement at the state and local level. Local unions can affiliate at the local level of the AFL-CIO even if their national unions have broken away from the AFL-CIO. Here's more about this new development.

Pros and Cons of Unions: Should You Form One
Workers will find many benefits if they become members of a union. They will have more leverage when bargaining as a group to get higher wages, increased benefits and improved working conditions. Studies do show that union members in many fields earn more money than non-unionized employees. But be careful. National unions are always looking to expand their reach to different workplaces.

Steps Employees Can Take to Organize a Union
Are you and your colleagues frustrated at work? Do you think laws are being violated or the pay is too low? Consider forming a union. Here's how the process unfolds.

List of National Labor Unions
Need to contact a union or find out more about it? Here is a list of information: address, phone number and web page for many national unions.

What's In an Agreement: Database of Labor Contracts
This database, maintained by the University of California's Institute for Research on Labor and Employment Library, is an on-line clearinghouse for cataloged and digitized texts of union contracts. The contracts are listed by state, union name and represented occupation.