•Press Release Economic Crisis and Recovery Jobs Unions United States Workers
Washington — The US labor movement may be seeing a renaissance thanks in part to recent high-profile union organizing efforts driven by young workers. In a new analysis, CEPR’s Hayley Brown finds that workers under 35, in particular, have much to gain from unionization.
The Union Advantage for Young Workers: Higher Wages and More Benefits reveals that after controlling for systemic differences, union representation for workers under 35 means higher median hourly earnings and increased coverage by employer-sponsored health insurance and retirement plans.
The analysis shows the following union advantage for workers under 35:
Unions have historically acted as a significant constraint on economic inequality. The analysis shows union wage advantages are highest for young Hispanic and Black workers, and the union benefit advantages are highest for young Hispanic and Asian workers.
“The advantages of union representation for younger workers make reinforcing the labor movement a critical investment in our collective future,” said Brown. “It is vital to empower workers by protecting and supporting their unions.”
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