They bargained with the University I used to work for to get us things like:

• 37.5hr work weeks and still receiving full-time benefits and pay
• Good vacation accrual rates
• A guaranteed effort to move union employees into other open positions if theirs is cut
• Legal help/advice/action when Directors, etc. overstepped our rights (which I personally had to make use of)
• Paid by the hour. No salary/after-hours bullshit.