New research from the Bureau of Labor Statistics highlights the increased access to employer-sponsored benefits for union workers. Across every type of benefits examined, union workers had more access to those benefits. For example, in 2011, 92 percent of union workers in the private sector received medical benefits compared to just 67 percent of those that were nonunion. The only exception was defined contribution retirement plans, but more union workers had access to retirement plans overall.

The data behind these numbers come from the National Compensation Survey (NCS). For a full discussion of the findings, see: “Differences between union and nonunion compensation, 2001–2011.”