In a year already divided by the upcoming primary elections, it can be hard to sift between different arguments to find the truth behind current events. One area of great politization recently has been unions, and their increasing role in many major American workplaces. As union membership continues to rise, it’s important to know how a union might affect you.
Unions work by letting the workers they represent engage in collective bargaining, where they work as a group to try and increase wages and benefits to a “fair” standard. This can include things like more strict rules on how you can be let go, to directly putting more money in your paycheck via wage increases and better implementing workspace safety measures.
According to Utility Workers of America, the following are average benefits for union jobs in America:
-28% higher wages than nonunion counterparts
-Higher chance for health insurance
-78% chance of a guaranteed pension
On average, Union Dues cost $400 a year – or roughly 2 hours of your earnings per month. If you think these benefits might be helpful today, you can look into union positions near you.
