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Study: Unions’ gains benefit all workers (10/15)

A new report by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) details the benefits unions provide for both unionized and unrepresented workers. Titled “How unions help all workers,” the report notes that employees with collective bargaining agreements have a substantial advantage over nonunion workers, as union wages are approximately 20 percent higher. Overall union compensation (wages and benefits) is about 28 percent higher. Unionized workers are also more likely to receive paid leave. They are up to 28 percent more likely to have employer-provided health insurance and up to 54 percent more likely to participate in an employer-provided pension plan, according to the study. “Unions are instrumental in establishing and enforcing an extensive array of labor laws, including protections that give workers unemployment insurance, Social Security, safety and health standards in the workplace, and extra pay for overtime,” the EPI noted when announcing the report. “Unions educate their members on their rights and protections under the law, and encourage them to exercise their rights and participate in programs that are open to them. When union members exercise their rights, unions act to limit employer reprisals, correct disinformation, provide resources to make a claim, and negotiate solutions to disputes on behalf of workers.” The EPI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. The study points out that in unionized industries or regions, the better pay and benefits that unions have won for their members raises the standard that nonunion employers frequently follow. According to the report, “Generally, unions have set norms and established practices, like fringe benefits and grievance procedures, which have become widely accepted practice, thereby improving pay and working conditions for the entire workforce.” “The research evidence clearly shows that the labor protections enjoyed by America’s entire workforce can be attributed in large part to unions,” said EPI President Lawrence Mishel.