Why do we Need Trade Unions, and Do They Exist in IT

Trade unions are public organizations created to protect the rights and interests of employees. In recent years, interest in trade unions in the IT sector has increased significantly, which raises many questions.

Why do we need trade unions in the high-tech industry, where, it would seem, there are separate mechanisms for protecting the rights of employees? What are their functions and advantages for IT specialists? In this article, we will look at the key aspects of trade unions’ work in the IT industry, find out if there are such organizations in the IT field, and find out what tasks they solve.

What is a Trade Union?

A trade union is a voluntary public organization of citizens. Companies cannot be members of a trade union, but they can be parties to agreements concluded between the union and the company (for example, a collective agreement as a local company document).

Creating a trade union aims to protect and implement citizens’ labour, socio-economic rights and interests.

Trade unions can conduct collective negotiations with employers, participate in the conclusion of a collective agreement, coordinate local documents that affect the labour and socio-economic rights of employees, participate in the adoption of such documents, participate in consideration of labour disputes, provide legal and advisory support to their members, conduct public monitoring of compliance with labour legislation.

Union Fees

Trade union members pay union dues. The obligation to pay membership fees and their amount are usually established in the charter of the relevant trade union. Membership fees are usually paid in the amount of 1% of salary and other payments each month. In companies, according to the employee’s statements, these amounts can be deducted from wages and sent to a bank account that is open to the union.

Organization of the Work of the Trade Union in the Company

A trade union organization usually needs the services of an accountant to correctly determine the amounts from which membership fees are deducted, interact with the bank when making payments to trade union members and account for the expenses and income of the trade union organization.

The trade union organization also needs to maintain a document flow. In particular, it needs to draw up lists of membership fees, arrange the expenditure of membership fees, keep records of trade union members, and arrange the admission and departure of trade union members.

Usually, a lawyer cooperates with a trade union organization, checking and approving local documents related to union members’ rights and duties.

What Kind of Unions are There

Trade unions can be different, depending on several factors such as industry, professional affiliation, and regional structure. The main types of trade unions include:

1. Industry trade unions unite workers in the same industry, such as the transport or financial sector.

3. Regional trade unions operate within a particular region, city, or company and may include representatives from different industries.

4. National trade unions cover the whole country and may include several branches or professional trade unions.

Where and How are Trade Unions Created

Trade unions can be formed within a specific industry and in companies (these are the primary organizations of industry trade unions). Trade unions are usually formed in sectors that have government regulation (there is a corresponding ministry, for example, the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Economy). The process of forming a trade union within a company usually involves several stages:

Research: The organization’s employees are researching which higher-level trade union they can join. You can contact the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus (FPB). The list of branch trade union organizations is available on the FPB website. https://fpb. You can choose a suitable trade union and consult with it about creating the primary organization of this trade union in the company.
Initiation: A group of employees initiates the formation of a trade union to protect their interests.
Constituent Assembly: A constituent assembly is held at which the goals and objectives of the trade union are discussed.
Registration: The organizational structure of the trade union is registered with the relevant state authorities to obtain official status.
Activity: The trade union starts its work, interacts with employers, organizes events and provides support to its members.

Thus, trade unions are an essential tool for protecting the rights and interests of workers in various economic sectors, including the IT sector.

Why do We Need Trade Unions

Trade unions play an essential role in protecting the interests of employees, and this is especially true for information technology (IT) employees. Below are the key reasons why unions are vital:

1. Protection of Workers’ Rights
Trade unions help protect workers’ rights, ensure compliance with labour laws, and prevent employer abuse. This is especially important in the IT industry, where competition is high, and situations with overwork, low salaries, or a lack of social guarantees often arise.

2. Collective Bargaining
Unions conduct collective bargaining with employers on behalf of employees. This allows for more equitable working conditions, including increased wages, improved working conditions, and the provision of additional benefits.

3. Ensuring Fairness
Discrimination, wage inequality, and unfair dismissal are common in the IT sector. Trade unions provide support and protection to employees, helping to resolve conflicts and restore justice.

4. Improving Working Conditions
Trade unions are actively working to improve working conditions, which includes ensuring a safe working environment, reducing stress levels, and preventing burnout. At the expense of trade unions, employees often undergo health improvement and corporate events and are compensated for sports and recreation for employees and their family members. This is especially important in IT, where the workload and working hours can be very high.

5. Education and Professional Development
Trade unions often offer and pay for training and professional development programs, which allows employees to remain competitive in the labour market and improve their skills.

6. Support and Solidarity
Trade unions create a sense of solidarity among workers by allowing them to come together to solve common problems and support each other in difficult situations. For example, trade unions can assist employees in a difficult situation.

In general, trade unions in the IT sector contribute to creating more sustainable and fair working conditions, improving employees’ quality of life, and increasing their job satisfaction.

Are there Trade Unions in IT Companies

Trade unions have traditionally been associated with industrial enterprises and working professions, but in recent years, they have begun to appear in the IT sector. This phenomenon is observed both internationally and in Belarus.

International Experience

In the United States, large technology company employees have begun forming trade unions to protect their rights and improve working conditions. For example, in 2023, a group of Alphabet employees hired through contractor Accenture formed a union with about 120 technical writers, graphic designers, and project managers working on content for Google. This happened against the background of mass layoffs in the company, which emphasized the need for collective protection of the interests of employees.

In another case, in May 2023, six AI trainers who worked on training the Bard chatbot and Google Search were fired after trying to unionize and improve pay and working conditions. This indicates the difficulties IT professionals face when forming trade unions in large corporations.

The Situation in Belarus

In Belarus, the creation of trade unions in IT companies is also gaining momentum. For example, the InDev Solutions company, founded in December 2022, established a primary trade union organization in February 2023. The company’s employees receive benefits such as financial assistance for recovery, compensation for the cost of children’s vouchers, payments on essential events and additional paid days off.

In addition, in Belarus’s Hi-Tech Park (HTP), trade union organizations operate in companies such as JSC Design Bureau of System Programming, CJSC Service Desk, Itransition, and ISsoft. However, many companies have refrained from commenting on creating trade unions, which may indicate a cautious attitude towards this practice.

HTP regularly holds meetings with representatives of the Belarusian Trade Union of Communication Workers, where representatives introduce HTP resident companies to the tasks that this branch trade union solves. However, HTP resident companies have the opportunity to create primary organizations not only of this branch of the trade union.

The Role of Trade Unions in IT Companies

Trade unions in the IT sector can play an essential role in protecting workers’ rights, especially in the face of labour market instability and mass layoffs. They can ensure the collective representation of employees in negotiations with employers, contribute to improving working conditions, and provide legal support.

However, there is also scepticism about the need for trade unions in IT. Some experts believe that highly qualified IT workers can independently negotiate their working conditions and compensation without the mediation of trade unions. In addition, there is concern that trade unions may lead to unnecessary bureaucracy and reduced flexibility, which is especially important in the rapidly changing IT sector.

Conclusion

The emergence of trade unions in IT companies reflects the desire of employees to collectively protect their interests in a dynamically developing industry. International and Belarusian experience shows that, despite specific difficulties and scepticism, trade unions can become an effective tool for improving working conditions and ensuring the rights of IT specialists. At the same time, it is essential to consider the specifics of the IT sector and strive to create forms of collective representation that would meet the needs and expectations of modern IT workers. Our company specializes in recruiting and managing IT specialists, and our experts are ready to answer your questions related to employee participation in trade unions and provide you with services for hiring and managing IT specialists.