DO UNIONS MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

By: Brian Pepper

Millions of workers have been able to achieve the American Dream over the last 70 years thanks to unions. The union movement led the fight for the minimum wage and the eight-hour workday. It also pioneered employer-provided health care and pension plans for workers. In addition, the union movement won major advances ensuring workplace safety and workers’ rights. Today, unions are at the forefront of securing livable wages for all workers. Wages of union workers are on average 28% higher than those of non-union workers. When you add up the much better health care and pension benefits union workers receive, the total compensation of union workers is 44% higher than that of non-union workers. A unionized workplace dramatically helps working families. Unions help families at a time when workers are forced to work more hours in an increasingly unstable environment. Unions enforce compliance for the employees with the Family and Medical Leave Act and increase the likelihood that healthcare is provided for members and their families. As companies force working people to work longer and spend more time away from home, unions are the key to creating an environment that works for everyone and ensuring that workers have flexibility in handling their family and work responsibilities. Union members achieve a better work/life balance, in part, because they have better working conditions in the work place. We at NOITU have an opportunity and an obligation to continue building stronger worker alliances and the fight for workers rights.

Be Union, Be Proud, Be NOITU!