Why do workers form unions

If employees don't have a voice at work, they can gain one through a union. If they face unfair treatment, they can negotiate policies that ensure fairness. If they have low wages and poor benefits, they have a way to demand better. If they have concerns about staffing levels, overtime, safety or other conditions of work, they can have a voice in making change. Union membership helps raise workers' pay and narrow the income gap experienced by minorities and women.

Union workers earn 28 percent more than nonunion workers, according to the U. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. As a trade union rep, you can make your workplace better. Unionized workplaces are safer — fact. The only people with the moral authority to assess the risk, are those who face the risk. And the only way to have a voice is to have a union. With the backing of a union, you can feel confident in saying no to dangerous work without losing your job. Trade unions campaign tirelessly for safer working conditions, and can be thanked for most of the gains in workplace health and safety.

Trade unions have an incredible network that spans the world. Global trade unions, like IndustriALL, which counts over trade union affiliates in countries, can use their membership of millions to command the attention of the very biggest corporations.

They want to live in healthy, pleasant communities. They want to pass on a strong, prosperous nation to their children. Their unions foster these interests also. Unions are leading champions of good government, good schools, the protection of individual rights and the expansion of individual opportunities for all Americans.

If you hold a job, or are about to leave school for work, these are all things for you to think about, too. For more information, please fill out the Contact Us form. Toggle navigation. Home Our People National President. Regional Exec. Featured News View all. News View all. Union Plus Free College Benefit. Videos View all.

Magazines View all. Retirees Scholarships Union Sportsmen Alliance. While only 19 percent of nonunion workers have guaranteed pensions, fully 78 percent of union workers do.

More than 84 percent of union workers have jobs that provide health insurance benefits, but only 64 percent of nonunion workers do. Unions help employers create a more stable, productive workforce—where workers have a say in improving their jobs.

Unions help bring workers out of poverty and into the middle class. Collective Bargaining Collective bargaining is the heart and soul of the labor union. Higher Wages One of the top benefits of being a union worker is that you enjoy a better wage as compared to your non-union counterparts.

Better Benefits On average, union workers are more likely to enjoy better benefits compared to non-union employees.