You don't have to go far these days to hear negative things being said about Unions. Many politicians, employers, the media and people in general, openly criticize the labor movement. They say that Unions are out of touch and out of date. They also claim that Unions no longer "deliver the goods" for their members.

Yet despite all these criticisms and complaints, millions of workers still proudly call themselves Union members. Statistics Canada reports one in every three working people in Canada belongs to a Union. According to the AFL-CIO, Union membership rose in the U.S. by more than 265,000 in 1999—the largest annual increase in 20 years. The number of Union members in the United States rose from 16.21 million to 16.48 million last year, while the percentage of U.S. workers who belong to Unions remained steady at 13.9 percent, reversing a trend of decline.

The growth in Union membership over the past few years shows that – despite all the negative things that have been said by the labor movement's detractors – many Americans & Canadians still believe in Unions. And when you look at the facts about the benefits of Union membership it's not hard to understand why.

The truth is that Unions still have an exceptional track record when it comes to improving wages and conditions for their members. So, for all those workers asking whether or not it makes sense to join a Union, experience shows that the answer is clearly "Union Yes!"

Wages and Income
One of the most obvious benefits of Union membership is higher pay.

Pensions and Benefits
In addition to getting paid more, Union members also tend to have better pensions and other benefits than non-union workers. In fact, in many ways the difference in access to these kind of job-related entitlements is even more dramatic than the difference between Union and non-union wages.

But pensions aren’t the only area where there is a clear Union advantage. Union members are also much more likely to have other so-called "non-wage benefits" – like dental plans, vision care plans and paid sick days.

Health and Safety
Another major advantage of Union membership has to do with on-the-job health and safety. The evidence clearly shows that Unions make for safer and healthier workplaces.

Complaints and Grievances
But the benefits of Union membership don’t stop with wages, benefits and safety. Another important benefit that Union members enjoy is the grievance procedure.

In a non-union workplace, workers are usually at the mercy of "the boss." If an employee has a complaint related to the workplace, he or she can attempt to talk to a manager about it. But the manager doesn’t have to do anything. The manager might act on the complaint, ignore it or even punish the employee for raising the issue – it all depends on the nature of the complaint, the company’s labor-management philosophy or even the manager’s mood on that particular day.

In a unionized workplace, on the other hand, grievances and complaints are handled in an entirely different manner. Unlike the non-union environment where the workers are basically subject to the whims of management, workers in unionized firms have a clear set of rights which are outlined in detail in their collective agreements. If the employer breaches provisions of the collective agreement – for example, if he or she fires a worker without just cause or if an employee is being harassed in some way on the job – then the worker can take defensive action through the established grievance procedure.

It makes sense to join a Union!
So does it still pay to be a Union member? Clearly it does. Union members enjoy better wages, better benefits and increased job security. But the biggest benefit is the strength that comes from solidarity. Unlike non-union workers, unionized workers are not alone when they have grievances; they’re not alone when they file WCB claims; and they’re not alone when they raise health and safety concerns.

This is the most basic lesson of the labor movement – that workers are stronger when they stand together than when they stand alone.

For information about how to join the UBC, contact the nearest Local Union Hall.

(excerpted from "Now More Than Ever", released in April 1999)

BACK TO TOP