Local unions are also a combination of conflicting interest groups. For example an older person in the union may be wanting more benefits that will assist with retirement such as a pension plan where the younger worker may be more concerned with receiving a wage increase. This can lead to intra-union conflict. Some factors that have lead to the decline in membership has been things such as the growth of non-union firms, employer hostility towards unions, and the decline of the rate of growth in the nation s economy. The government has also made provisions for employees on things such as services and protections that have in the past only been attainable by unions.
Collective bargaining is basically the renegotiation of the union contract with a company.
There are four basic steps in the bargaining process. The first step is preparation. During this stage, each side determines what goals they want to achieve. The preparation stage usually begins six months to one year before the end of the current contract. Some examples of goals the union may try to attain are longer break periods or a raise in salary.