Union Relations in Belgium and Portugal

Union Relations: Chapter 7.1
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation
Union Relations
Compare union relations in two major countries. How are the unions (and employers) organized?
Belgium and Portugal are the two major countries selected for comparison within the European Union. An in-depth study into the employee organization of Belgium shows that it has a large percentage of workers enrolled in unions, which accounts for 50 percent of the working population. In Belgium, all citizens can join a union irrespective of their profession or professional status. Belgium has three labor union organizations where a person’s professional status and type of profession are the main determinants during categorization. The representatives are democratically chosen workers and work with management to help determine the organization’s labor policies. The representatives also determine the company’s economic, financial, and future. Primarily, most Belgium unions consist of employers and employees. In these larger unions, smaller committees deal with the safety and protection of employees.
Conversely, Portugal has a lower rate of its population utilizing unions, which accounts for 19 percent. Unlike Belgium, Portugal’s unions cover nearly all professions, which means that any employee is at liberty to join an existing organization. Legally, employers cannot interfere with a union’s operations, and employees are free to join any organization without fear of reprisal. In Portugal, labor unions are responsible for spearheading negotiations for collective labor agreements, providing social and economic services, participating in labor legislation, and providing legal help to protect their members.
Portugal and Belgium are similar in how they utilize unions. Employees can join an alliance of their choice, which will help them seek a collective bargaining agreement with their employers. Although unions can fight for better working conditions for their members, they must follow the legislation set by the administration of each country. The most significant distinction between both...