Unions Make A Difference
Need a Union
Unions Make A Difference
Union | Nonunion | |
A Voice |
Only union members enjoy the legal right and power to have a say on the job. | Management has exclusive control and decision making power. |
Wages |
Pay rates are negotiated to ensure fairness for everyone and protected in the union contract. Seniority is recognized. | Management alone decides what’s fair pay and can base any raises on business needs, favoritism or anything else. |
Benefits |
Protected by the contract. Changes can only be made with employee approval. | Can be taken away or changed at any time. |
Promotions & |
Awarded fairly according to the process agreed to in the union contract. | It’s up to management. |
Unfair Treatment |
Employees have a protected way to challenge any unfair or questionable treatment with support and representation from their union. Just cause standards are applied with binding arbitration if the parties can’t agree. | You’re on your own. Any grievance process gives management the last word. |
Working |
Schedules, vacations, workload, subcontracting, work standards, layoff procedures, hours of work are all agreed to between workers and the employer and protected in the contract. | Management decides what’s best for employees. |
Protections & Guarantees |
Only union workers enjoy a legally-binding written agreement with their employer that defines, protects, and guarantees all terms of employment. | Nonunion workers have no guarantees and no protections. |
Union Workers Earn 30%
More Than Nonunion Workers
The Union Difference in Benefits
Union workers with guaranteed (defined-benefit) pensions Nonunion workers with guaranteed (defined-benefit) pensions |
68 % 14 % |
Union workers with employer-provided health insurance Nonunion workers with employer-provided health insurance |
80 % 49 % |
Union workers without health insurance coverage Nonunion workers without health insurance coverage |
2.5 % 15 % |
Union workers average days of paid vacation Nonunion workers average days of paid vacation |
15 days 11.75 days |
(Sources: U.S. Department of Labor Statistics, Union Members in 2006, Jan. 25, 2007; AFL-CIO.) | |
Additional information is available at here |
Did you know?
Not only do union workers command more respect and have a voice on the job, they also get better wages and benefits.