Executive membership in Union..

Executive membership in union is one of my concern as a young unionist. More and more young executive are joining my workplace but their union membership enrollment is very low.Gathered from some chat with the younger executives at my workplace, the misconception they have is that union representation is only for the junior officer or the rank-and file, technician, low wage worker etc.. They don't believe that the union can help them in dire straits or problems they might face at work.

Can the unionist do more to change this misconception?
Have we done enough to educate executive on the benefits of being a union member?

Here's an interesting article on this topic...how the Industrial Relation Act has evolved to help executives in their union representation. I quote some of the articles here for your view.

The traditional role of trade unions as the champions of the 'rank-and-file' employees shifted with the enactment of Part IIIA of the Industrial Relations Act (Cap. 136) ("IRA"), which came into effect on 1 September 2002. Rank-and-file trade unions1 are now able to represent executive employees. The rights of representation2 by such trade unions are limited to certain types of executive employees individually (and not as a class) and for the limited purposes as provided under the IRA.

Scope of Representation
Only a recognised rank-and-file trade union may represent a given executive employee for the following purposes:

1. to make representations to the Minister of Manpower ("MOM") for dismissal without just cause or excuse;
2. upon the retrenchment of the executive employee, to negotiate with the employer to resolve any disputes relating to the retrenchment benefit payable to the executive employee;
3. to negotiate with the employer to resolve any disputes relating to a breach of contract of employment by the executive employee or the employer;
4. to represent the executive employee in proceedings before the Industrial Relations Court in respect of (i) the dismissal or reinstatement of the employee in circumstances arising out of his union or industrial activities or (ii) any matter referred to in paragraph (b) or (c) above.

An "executive employee" is defined in the IRA as an employee who is employed in a managerial or an executive position. .

Read the full article here