Strike costs

One cost of union membership is the loss of wages during a strike. The threat of strike gives TWU Local 100 its ability  to raise wages and benefits but this extra bargaining power is not without cost, for sometimes the strike must actually be used. The loss in wages during the strike may be offset by strike benefits from the union, although not all unions pay them and those that do, usually pay only about 20 to 30 percent of regular earnings. There is also the possibility that the worker may never get the job back at all if the employer can successfully hire non union workers and break the strike. Finally strikes lead to psychic costs for workers due to the conflict and ill-feelings that a strike engenders between union members and nonstriking workers and management personnel.