Professionals in various occupations and sectors have joined together in union to foster workplaces that allow for long-term, sustainable careers. Union members have contracts in writing - just like CEOs - that guarantee pay, benefits, and working conditions, and can’t be changed without their approval. Joining together in union is one of the most effective ways professionals can make workplace improvements.
Our members have a say in the way wages and salaries are set. Union professionals have been able to secure minimum salaries and annual raises, as well as the ability to negotiate for additional pay increases based on performance. Union members have over 20 percent higher wages on average, with the union premium for specific professions being even higher. IFPTE members also use their collective voice to win substantially better benefits. These benefits include better health insurance plans with lower premiums, larger employer contributions to retirement plans, professional development funds, and more paid time off.
Our members value their careers and want to be successful at their organizations. With their unions, they have worked to established clear pathways for advancement to help create long-term careers at their organizations. They also know the importance of keeping their skills up-to-date and continuing their education to prepare for higher levels of work. Many of our members have collaborated with their employers to develop joint training programs and have negotiated for annual professional development funds to allow employees to participate in training opportunities of their choosing.
Our members are engineers, lawyers, economists, and many other professionals with specialized education and training. They bring their expertise to their organizations and deserve to be treated with respect. As IFPTE members, they have a voice in their workplaces to ensure professional standards are upheld and their work is valued.
We understand the unique needs of professionals, and have helped our members ensure their work is valued. Professionals across sectors and industries have joined together in union and made workplace gains like higher pay, better benefits, and improved working conditions. If you and your coworkers want a greater say in your workplace and the ability to make improvements, contact us about joining together in union.
Fill out our contact form and IFPTE staff will reach out to you with more information about forming a union.
A group of employees who come together to negotiate with their employer over their wages, benefits, and working conditions. The employees are the union—they democratically elect their coworkers who oversee their union’s affairs and conduct negotiations with their employer. Unlike associations, employees in unions have the legal right to negotiate collectively with their employers.
Collective bargaining is the formal process employees in unions and their employers use to negotiate the terms and conditions of work—including wages, benefits, and working conditions. Similar to the contracts CEOs have that guarantee their pay, benefits, and other conditions of employment, the terms agreed upon during collective bargaining are solidified in a contract called the collective bargaining agreement. Collective bargaining agreements are commonly referred to as union contracts.
Professionals have many of the same problems as other employees. They need good working conditions to do their jobs well: sane hours, a manageable workload, a decent wage, guarantee of fair benefits, protection from unjust treatment, respect, and recognition of skills, education, and expertise. For non-union professionals, most decisions concerning wages, benefits, and working conditions are made solely by their employers. By joining together in union, over six million professionals have gained a voice in the decisions that affect their work. With our union, professionals are gaining control of their work lives.
