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The Numbers Don't Lie: What a Difference a Union Makes!

Steve Joyce
Organizer

I thought it would be beneficial to share with you some statistics from a new report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS):

Eighty-eight percent of private sector union workers have access to retirement through their jobs, compared to only 56 percent of nonunion workers.

Seventy-three percent of union workers have access to defined-benefit pension plans, compared with only 16 percent of nonunion workers.

Ninety-two percent of union workers have access to job based health care benefits, compared with 68 percent of nonunion workers.

Seventy-three percent of union workers have access to job-provided dental care, 57 percent have vision care, and 87 percent have prescription drug coverage, compared to 43 percent, 25 percent and 61 percent among nonunion workers, respectively.

Nonunion workers required health insurance premiums were more than $1,000 more per year than what union workers contribute, on average.

Union workers are also more likely than nonunion workers to have access to job-base life insurance (65 percent vs. 50 percent) and short-term disability benefits (67 percent vs. 37 percent).

Eighty-seven percent of union members have access to paid holidays and 86 percent had paid vacations, compared to 75 percent and 77 percent of nonunion workers, respectively.

Fifty-eight percent of union workers are offered education benefits, compared to 48 percent of nonunion workers.

These figures clearly show the difference a collective bargaining agreement can make in the lives of working people. They also clearly show the importance of telling the story to nonunion workers about the difference that a union can make in their lives.

Every time we organize a new unit, we extend to workers the opportunity to realize for themselves the union difference. Recently organized units include the following:

Millstadt, Illinois Public Works Department

We are preparing for our second negotiating session on behalf of this unit.

Venice, Illinois Police Department

We had a very productive first negotiating session. We are aware that the City of Venice is in a difficult financial situation, but these employees deserve to be fully compensated for their stressful work in a very dangerous environment.

Roodhouse, Illinois Electric Department

We have had two negotiating sessions at the time we went to press. We believe these negotiations are going to be difficult because of opposition from some elected officials and their use of an attorney who has a reputation for resisting unions.

New Baden, Illinois Public Works Department

We are still waiting for the first negotiating session to be scheduled. A hearing was held before the Illinois Labor Relations Board, because the Village wants the supervisor excluded, and he is clearly a working supervisor. We feel positive about how the hearing went, and we are hopeful of a favorable decision.

Nokomis, Illinois School District Transportation Department

We are still awaiting the scheduling of the first negotiating session.

Palmyra, Missouri Public Works Department

An initial negotiating session has been scheduled for this unit.

MoDOT

We are pleased to welcome Noah Shannon, a new employee at the Warrenton building, as a member of Local 148. We look forward to providing him with the best possible representation.

Local 148 continues to work on the question of substantial changes that the State of Missouri is considering for the MoDOT retirement plan. We believe it will be a major issue in the next legislative session.