Labor unions are associated with building and preserving the middle class. And rightly so: through collective bargaining, unions routinely secure better wages and benefits for the workers they represent. Their efforts at the bargaining table generally allow workers employed under a union contract to enjoy a comfortable standard of living. Workers covered by a negotiated collective bargaining agreement typically have higher annual earnings, better health insurance coverage, and greater access to employer-sponsored retirement plans than those who are not. But in addition to their traditional roles as representatives for workers across many industries, unions help unemployed and non-union workers, many from underrepresented and historically marginalized groups, through advocacy and activities that transcend any bargaining table.
With this post, the Office of Labor-Management Standards is introducing a series of blog posts that will explore many of the ways in which work by unions advances the interests of all workers. In the coming months we will spotlight the labor movement’s work to:
- Sponsor pre-apprenticeship programs designed to help unemployed and underemployed workers acquire the skills they need to move into more formal apprenticeship programs and from there into stable employment in high-paying jobs.
- Raise awareness about wage theft, which costs workers – primarily low wage Black, Latino and Latina, and migrant workers – hundreds of millions of dollars annually.
- Lead climate jobs initiatives as part of a concerted effort to combat the devastating consequences of climate change, which disproportionately harms low-income individuals and underserved communities.
- Improve social safety net programs such as minimum wage levels, health care and retirement protections, and paid leave, which benefit all workers but are particularly important to low wage-earning families.
Original source can be found here.