Why Should You Join a Union?

• Union members earn better wages and benefits than workers who aren’t union members.

  • On average, union workers’ wages are 27% higher than their non-union counterparts.

  • Union members earn better pension benefits. Unionized workers are 60% more likely to have employer-provided pensions.

  • Union members have better health insurance. More than 79% of union workers have jobs that provide health insurance benefits, but less than half of non-union workers do.

  • Union members have safer workplaces. Leveraging collective action, members have more leverage to create a stronger culture of safety on the job.

Source: AFL-CIO

How Do You Start a Union?

1. Build a committee of your co-workers who are highly respected and willing to assist with forming a union.

2. Hold an internal organizing committee meeting to discuss the organizing process, distribute responsibilities and identify next steps.

3. Identify coworkers who may want to join the union and discuss issues at work such as low wages or an unsafe work environment.

4. Determine how to build and assess support for the organizing effort.

5. Aim to have 65% or more of the potential bargaining unit sign authorization cards and then file for an election with the National Labor Relations Board.

6. Reach out to UWUA Organizing Director Deirdre Brill if you would like to know more, e-mail dbrill@uwua.net or call (888) 843-8982.

For more organizing resources and information, check out the Department of Labor’s Organizing Knowledge Center.