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The Union Difference
  • A Union Empowers Workers to fight for better pay and benefits. When workers come together, they gain the ability to sit across from management as equal partners. A union ensures decisions about pay, benefits, schedules, and working conditions are made with workers at the table, not forced on them by wealthy business owners who could care less about working people.
    • Workers who are members of labor unions in the United States make 18% more than their nonunion counterparts, For most workers, that’s nearly $10,000 more per year.
    • Union members are five times more likely to have a pension plan than non-union workers. More broadly, union members are twice as likely to have any type of retirement plan, compared to non-union workers.
  • By securing fair wages and strong protections, unions help create workplaces where people can build stable, middle-class lives—not struggle to get by.
  • No one should be asked to risk their safety for a paycheck. When workers aren’t organized, safety becomes a corner to cut, just to save the employer a buck. A union forces employers to meet higher safety standards, fix hazards, and treat worker safety as a responsibility—not an afterthought.
  • Unions open the door to training, certifications, and career growth that employers would never provide on their own. With a union, you grow your skills, your confidence, and your future.
  • A union is more than a contract—it’s a community. When one worker faces injustice, every worker stands beside them. When we support each other, we become unstoppable.
  • Every right workers enjoy today—from the weekend to child-labor laws—was won through collective struggle. By organizing now, you become part of that proud history and shape what comes next.
  • Without a union, workplaces become “every man for himself,” as each employee becomes responsible for advocating for their own pay and benefits increases. Imagine how much easier it would be for your employer to take advantage one employee, standing alone, than it is to take advantage of all of us, standing together!

Visit the AFSCME International Union's page to learn even more about the Union Difference!

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