Management retribution

A cost of union membership to the worker is possible management retribution. This retribution may take several forms: the employer may fire the worker, reassign him to a less desirable job, or give him a smaller wage increase. These types of antiunion practices by employers are illegal. Employers recognize however that the protection of the law is not ironclad. It is often difficult for the worker to prove that he or she was fired for union activities rather than a legitimate cause such as insubordination or being late to work. Court proceedings are also quite time consuming and expensive and in general the employer has the greater staying power in such matters.