Other benefits

Each trade union provides a varied range of fringe benefits to members. Typically these benefits include a union newspaper and discounts on insurance and package holidays, together with partially or fully subsidised educational opportunities.

The trade unions also administer unemployment funds for the industries in which their members work. Members of these unemployment funds are eligible for earnings-related unemployment benefit and other allowances paid by the fund. It is customary for new members to join both the trade union and the unemployment fund at the same time by completing a single application form. The membership subscription fee that is normally quoted by a trade union also includes the subscription fee for its unemployment fund.