(i). Role of trade unions: Trade unions perform the following main functions:
• Protection: Trade unions safeguard workers against all sorts of exploitation by the employer and political parties. A union provides protection from unfair labour practices and atrocities of management. It also tries to revise the status of workers in industry and society.
• Proper standard of living: Unions attempt to secure for workers fair wages, proper working conditions and welfare facilities like health, housing, recreation and social security so as to ensure desirable living standard for them.
• Economic security: Unions protect their members from various economic hazards such as illness, accidental injuries, unemployment. They secure compensation from employers. Unions also provide financial assistance to workers dining distress.
• Collective bargaining: A trade union negotiates and bargains with the management to settle terms and conditions of employment.
• Participation: Trade unions work for achieving a better say of workers in the management of matters which directly influence the interests of workers. In this way unions attempt to establish democracy in industry.
• Protests: Unions organise demonstrations, strikes and other forms of protest to press the demands of workers. During a strike the union may provide financial and other help to members when the employer stops wages.
• Education: Many trade unions make arrangements for the education of workers and their family members. Unions make workers conscious of their rights and duties and aware of the need for techno-logical changes.
• Welfare and recreation: Some unions provide recreation, sports, and other welfare facilities for their members.
(ii). Outdoor advertising takes place in the form of posters, bill-boards, electrical displays, wall writing etc. It is employed by business concerns to attract the attention of the people quickly. It is a relatively cheap medium of advertisement.
Outdoor media of advertising refers to the media used to reach people when they are out of the doors. Therefore, outdoor advertising means exhibition of advertisements at street comers, railway stations, bus stations, on moving vehicles, etc., through posters, hoardings, electric or neon signs, sky writing, loud speakers, travelling announcers etc. It has a wide appeal and long life. Outdoor advertising is highly flexible and economical. Timeliness and repetition is another advantage of outdoor advertising. But outdoor advertising fails to tell the complete message and has a low retention value. It has a temporary appeal.
