A recent report from the Economic Policy Institute found that union members are more likely to receive paid holidays and paid vacation.
It’s a plain, simple fact: Union members have better jobs. They make more money, have better health insurance and enjoy more paid time off. And that’s only the beginning. Don’t take our word for it. Check out the stats below from the United States Department of Labor:
Union workers make more money
People with a union median weekly earnings: $980
People without a union median weekly earnings: $776
Union workers have more paid time off
People in a union with paid sick leave: 83%
People without a union with paid sick leave: 62%
Union workers have better health insurance
People in a union participating in job-provided health insurance: 79%
People without a union participating in job-provided health insurance: 49%
Union workers have more retirement security
People in a union participating in guaranteed (defined-benefit) pension plans: 76%
People without a union participating in guaranteed (defined-benefit) pension plans: 16%
And there’s more. The Economic Policy Institute recently took a close look at what was happening with the some 16 million union members in the U.S. Here’s what they found:
Unions help foster more work-life balance.
Some 87 percent of union workers have access to paid sick days, compared to 69 percent of non-union workers. Roughly 89 percent of private-sector union workers get paid vacation and holidays, compared to roughly 75 percent of non-union private sector workers. More than 1 in 3 union workers get at least a week’s advance notice of their work schedules. Less than 1 in 4 non-union workers are provided the same. Just 22 percent of union workers say they have little or no input in the number of hours they work each week. Meanwhile, nearly half (46%) of non-union workers say they have little or no input in work schedules.
Unions improve workplace health and safety.
We’re always looking to push programs that educate workers about potential on-the-job safety hazards. Many unionized workplaces have “safety committees” that provide workers a voice in maintaining health and safety in the workplace. Finally, unions ensure employers are held accountable for the safety conditions at their worksite.
Unions provide workers with training opportunities.
Apprenticeships and on-the-job training opportunities are a hallmark of unions. The Industrial Manufacturing Technicians apprenticeship program, of which the IAM is a partner, provides workers with 260 hours with technical college instructors and 2,700 hours of on-the-job training.
Check out the entire report: