A union is an organization formed by workers who seek to secure:

Respect on the job,
Better wages, benefits and working conditions,
More flexibility for work and family needs,
A counterbalance to the unchecked power of employers, and
A voice in improving the quality of their products and services.

You see, workers a long time ago were frustrated, because they were not getting fair compensation for the services they were providing to their employer.  They approached their employer for better pay, safer working conditions and fewer working hours, but to no avail.  Finally, enough was enough and the workers realized that they were not going anywhere dealing with their employers by themselves.  So, they got together as a group and established terms and conditions their employer had to meet or there was going to be consequences to face.  They elected a leader within their ranks to negotiate with their employer, and that leader, with the moral and physical support of his co-workers, did what he had to do to win those terms and conditions.  Victories were small to none in the beginning, but these hard working individuals who sacrificed everything they had to improve their conditions and positions with their employer established the unions we have today!  The following are victories won by the unions established more than a century ago:

• The end of Child Labor
• The 8-hour day
• 40-hour work weeks  
• Health Insurance
• Pensions       
• Vacation and Holiday pay
• OSHA     
• Social Security, and many more!

Unions are democratic.  In other words, the officers are elected by the membership for a given term, very similar to how cities elect a mayor.  Workers have a voice in the union, too.  Their union has an obligation to represent them in their best interests and if those members believe the union is not fulfilling their obligation, then that member has a right to express their concern through the proper process.

Learn about the History of Unions, here