Unions 101
The National Labor Relations Board has held that employers may deceive their employees during organizing campaigns, ruling it will “no longer probe into the truth or falsity” of employer campaign statements.2 Explore the content below to learn more about all the different aspects of unionization.
2 Midland National Life Insurance Co., 263 NLRB 127 (1982)
Union Workers Earn More
Wages
Union workers earn 13.5% more on average than non-union workers in similar jobs, according to the Economic Policy Institute. That difference compounds significantly over a career.
Better Benefits, Better Care
Benefits
96% of union workers have access to health care benefits, versus 69% of non-union workers. 58% of union workers have a pension, compared to just 7% of non-union workers, per the BLS.
Job Security You Can Count On
Job Security
Union contracts require employers to show just cause before disciplining or terminating a worker. Without a union, most employees can be fired for any reason or no reason at all.
Safer Workplaces
Safety
Union workers have the right to refuse unsafe work and report hazards without fear of retaliation. Research shows that weakening unions is associated with a 14% increase in occupational fatalities.
Unions Close the Pay Gap
Equity
Unions reduce racial and gender pay gaps. Black union workers earn 12.6% more than non-union Black workers; Hispanic union workers earn 16.4% more than their non-union counterparts, per EPI.
A Contract, Not a Promise
Bargaining
A union contract is a legally binding agreement. Your employer must negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions with your elected representatives — not just announce them.