The Union Advantage

Do unions really get an advantage for their members?

Yes! Union members in Canada make up roughly 31% of the workforce. Unionized workers make on average $5.17 more per hour than non-union workers. Women union members will make on average $6.89 more and young members (15-24) make on average $3.16 more.

What happens to those extra dollars?
Those extra dollars equal about $823.3 million more every week that stays in local economies across the country. Workers in unions are an important part of the local community and economy because that’s where they spend their pay cheques.

Union member dollars support local businesses and bolster the local tax base in their communities. This economic power helps to create and sustain local jobs, and support community services that add to everyone’s quality of life.

How do unions get this advantage for their members?
|The union advantage is directly connected to a union’s ability to negotiate a collective agreement on behalf of their members. This agreement will cover wages, hours of work, health benefits and many other provisions which positively affect the member and their communities. By having all workers in a workplace in the same bargaining unit, workers have a stronger voice to set out terms and conditions of working there.

Here’s the best part: this advantage doesn’t belong only to union members.
It benefits everyone.
When unions stand up for fairness, they raise the bar for everyone. Many of the things first won by unions are enjoyed by all workers today- minimum wage, overtime pay, workplace safety standards, maternity and parental leave, vacation pay, and protection from discrimination and harassment.