ZIMSEC O Level Business Studies Notes: Managing Human Resources: Types of Trade Unions

  • Trade Unions can be categorized into different groups
  • Below is a list of various trade unions and their descriptions:

Craft Unions

  • Union representing workers who share the same skill-set or who perform identical tasks,
  • these workers might be working in different industries; for example, electricians and plumbers.
  • An example in Zimbabwe is the:
  • Zimbabwe Catering & Hotel Workers’ Union (ZCHWU) and Zimbabwe Metal, Energy & Allied Workers’ Union (ZMEAWU)
  • They were traditionally created to preserve jobs for members of their craft/skill
  • This has changed with the continued rise in the use of technology

Industrial union

  • These represent workers in the same industry regardless of their skill or profession or work they do
  • An industry is any general business activity or commercial enterprise that can be isolated from others, such as the railway, manufacturing,tourism industry or the entertainment industry.
  • This can include a union for drivers, teachers, caterers etc
  • Examples include:
  • Cement, Lime & Allied Workers’ Union of Zimbabwe (CLAWUZ)
  • Zimbabwe Pulp & Paper Workers’ Union
  • Zimbabwe Domestic & Allied Workers Union (ZDAWU)
  • Zimbabwe Chemicals & Plastics Allied Workers’ Union and
  • Zimbabwe Textile Workers Union (ZTWU)
  • General Agriculture & Plantation Workers’ Union of Zimbabwe (GAPWUZ)

General Union

  • Are broad ranging unions which represents workers from all industries and companies, rather than just one organisation or a particular sector, as in a craft union or industrial union
  • Some are known as super unions which can be formed by a merger of various unions to overlook the welfare of all workers
  • These are also known as federation unions
  • An example is the :
  • Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU)
  • Commercial Workers’ Union of Zimbabwe

Occupational Unions

  • Occupational Unions represent a particular occupation or group
  • For example teachers, police, fire fighters etc
  • Zimbabwean Examples include:
  • Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA)
  • Zimbabwe Union of Journalists
  • Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ)

White-collar unions

  • These represent non-manual occupations for example teaching, banking etc
  • Examples include:
  • Zimbabwe Banks & Allied Workers’ Union (ZIBAWU)
  • Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA)

NB As clearly demonstrated  trade unions can fit in more than one group.

To access more topics go to the O Level Business Notes