When there is no collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the workers and the company, an employee is designated an "At Will" employment status. Without a CBA, an employer doesn't need to give a reason to discipline or, even worse terminate, an employee.
On the other hand, when there is a CBA, workers are designated as a "Just Cause" employee. Under a CBA, the employer can't hand out harsh punishments for minor infractions and it holds everyone to the same standards.
Union workers are better off when it comes to retirement security and are more likely to have retirement benefits. For instance, 90% of union workers participate in a retirement plan, compared to only 75% of non-union workers.
Human Resource are employed by the company and will defend the companies interest before looking out for the safety and well being of the employee. Make no mistake, HR are double-agents, the smiling assassins.
