Some people consider trade unions as like guilds, but not everybody. By overseeing training and the advancement of its member’s careers, through the stages of apprenticeship, craftsman, journeyman all the way to master and grandmaster level, guilds were able to enrich the lives of their people. Their members consisted of groups of people from different professions, or people working in particular organizations.
Collective bargaining/trade unions, weren’t always legal or acceptable. At least since the mid-14th century, when the Ordinance of Labourers was formed in the English Kingdom, these were outlawed. Such prohibition spread through and remained in all places until about the middle of the 19th century. The penalties for violation were severe. Some could even be executed. According to the famous writer Adam Smith, who argued that wage fixing and price fixing should be illegal, unions were outlawed in the majority of countries.
Even with staunch opposition, collective bargaining did succeed and become established, even politically, so we now have labour laws and legally recognized employer/employee relations. But the opposition still exists, as always. You can see an example by studying The Tolpuddle Martyrs case. For additional historical research on the topic, check out a book called Craft, Trade or Mystery by Bob James. In it, he argues how trade unions and historical guilds of the past are much like other fraternities, such as The Freemasons, The Oddfellows and so on, in the sense that they all represent a larger societal movement concept known as benefit societies.
Employees now enjoy the right to join a trade union or not. Nobody may be denied a job, or dismissed from employment, for either being a member of, or expressing the desire to be a member of, any trade union. Nor may workers be subject to these actions for refusal to join one. They may not be harassed, intimidated or ill-treated for any of these. The decision to join is that of the employee/applicant.
Additionally, employees enjoy the statutory right to work for, or further the agenda of, these trade unions, without retaliation or discrimination by employers, prospective or otherwise. This includes attending meetings, recruiting and fundraising. Naturally, these rights don’t extend to requiring employees get paid for time spent on these actions, nor do they allow workers to use their scheduled working time, unless these times are approved by their boss.
Because taking negative action against people because of their union membership or activities is prohibited, legislators also outlawed blacklisting because it is used to facilitate such discrimination. Blacklisting is the process whereby employers take further action against workers beyond application rejection or termination by placing them on a list, to let other potential employers do likewise. Also, selling or supplying such lists is illegal.
See a website from the organization called the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and you will see that taking industrial action, for example going on strike, is exempted from these blanket liberties. This website outlines specific rules and regulations regarding such activities.
Throughout most of history, guilds, or collective bargaining, were prohibited and frowned upon, but nowadays they are legally acceptable. You can find available unions for you or anyone else, and do further research, at either the TUC, or Wales TUC website.
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