“It’s better in a union” is not just a slogan — it’s a fact, backed by data and proven every day at the bargaining table. The reality is that today’s economy overwhelmingly benefits the wealthy, while working people are often left behind. Despite increasing productivity year after year, the benefits of that growth do not reach the workers who create it. Instead, CEOs and corporate profits surge, wages stagnate, and workers are forced to work longer hours. Unions, however, provide a powerful counterbalance to the inequality that exists.
According to the US Department of Labor, union workers earn, on average, 10–15% more than their nonunion peers. But it’s not just about wages. Union members are also more likely to have employer-provided healthcare, retirement benefits, paid leave, and enforceable workplace protections. As the AFL-CIO puts it, “Unions raise wages, reduce inequality, and make democracy work.”
After graduating college, I quickly realized that being in a union made a real difference. I was earning more and felt a stronger sense of job security compared to many of my friends who worked without a collective bargaining agreement. For example, overtime, shift differential, and meal allowance premiums were benefits they didn’t always understand or receive, but through my collective bargaining agreement, I knew I was being fairly compensated for the extra hours I worked. Having a union bargain on my behalf meant I had a voice at work and protections that helped me build financial security while focusing on what mattered most — my work and my family.
These aren’t just abstract statistics — they reflect tangible wins. Take some of UWUA’s most recent contract settlements. At Local 351 in Lorain, Ohio (see page 17), this nine-member local negotiated a new contract with IHI Power Services that includes an unprecedented 10% wage increase in the first year, followed by raises of 3.5%, 3.25%, and 3%. This means real money in workers’ pockets, along with improved scheduling protections and higher shift premiums. The message is clear: when employers profit from our work, workers deserve a fair share of that success. Being in a union offers that security through collective bargaining.
At Local 393 on Long Island, members ratified a historic 8-year collective bargaining agreement with the Suffolk County Water Authority (see page 7). This agreement secures the strongest wage package in three decades, along with protections for union positions and significant improvements in work-life balance. These achievements show unions are a powerful force for securing fair wages, benefits, and long-term stability for workers.
Union membership brings more than just higher wages and better benefits — it brings workplace stability, fairness, and security. The union advantage is especially significant for marginalized workers — unions help reduce inequality by providing women, workers of color, and other historically disadvantaged groups with fair pay and protections against discrimination. For example, Black, Latino, and women workers earn 26%, 39.2%, and 23.8% more, respectively, when they belong to a union. Union contracts ensure that all workers are paid fairly and receive the protections they deserve.
The labor movement has always been at the forefront of the fight for worker protections, including health and safety standards. Through organizing and collective bargaining, unions have secured stronger workplace safety protections that have saved countless lives. Yet far too many workers still face unsafe conditions, and thousands are injured or killed every year. The fight for safer workplaces is ongoing, and unions continue to advocate for stronger protections and a safer future for all workers.
In a time of rising economic inequality, unions offer a powerful solution. The answer to this imbalance isn’t austerity or individual sacrifice — it’s collective action. Being in a union doesn’t guarantee a perfect outcome, but it guarantees you a seat at the table, a contract you can enforce, and a voice that matters. When we stand together, we negotiate from a position of strength.
So, when we say, “it’s better in a union,” we mean it. These victories are proof that collective bargaining works. A union ensures that working people have the power to negotiate for what they deserve, to secure better pay, benefits, and working conditions, and to stand up for their rights in a way that individual action cannot. It’s better in a union because, together, we’re stronger.