WHAT DO UNIONS DO? WHY DO EMPLOYEES JOIN UNIONS? “Union n.1. The condition of being united, the act of uniting, or a conjunction formed by such an act. 2. An association, alliance, or confederation of individuals or groups for a common purpose, esp. political.” When talking of the subject of Industrial Relations, the type of union that is most prevalent is that of a trade union. This main focus of this essay will be to define what a trade union is, outline its main functions and define why employees join trade unions. Conflict is an important word when one thinks of Industrial Relations. It can