Why Are Unions Important in Today’s Society? Find Out

Unions are essential in today’s society because they raise wages, improve workplace safety, and secure better benefits for workers.
Union members earn about 15% more than nonunion workers and nearly all have health coverage.

States with strong unions show higher household incomes, more robust social protections, and stronger communities. These facts show why are unions important in today’s society—unions drive fairness, stability, and dignity at work. Supporting union-made goods and union values benefits workers, organizations, and entire communities.

Start With the Realities: Why Unions Still Matter Today

Every day, union leaders and members face tough workplace challenges. Wages often lag, schedules shift without warning, and safety risks remain real for millions. Despite progress, inequality and unpredictability continue to jar working families. Unions aren’t relics. We’re here to solve these problems right now.

Let’s get specific. Consider these facts:

• Union members see a median weekly wage advantage of roughly 15%. According to 2024 data, that’s $1,337 a week for union members versus $1,138 for nonunion employees. That gap matters on payday.
• Public-sector unions remain strong, with membership at 32.2% in 2024. Private-sector density is lower at 5.9%—so organizing campaigns in new industries are crucial to keep raising standards.
• Ninety-five percent of union workers have access to employer health insurance. Only 71% of nonunion workers can say the same.
• States with higher union density do more: expanding Medicaid, passing paid family and sick leave laws, and delivering median household incomes about $12,300 higher than low-density states.
• Unions showed their value in the pandemic: contract wins secured PPE, paid sick leave, and job protections, directly reducing worker risk.

Union values—solidarity, fairness, and dignity at work—are not just talking points. They’re tested, relevant, and urgently needed. We see that every time a union pushes for better schedules, higher pay, or ironclad safety rules. Here at Promote Unions, we support the mission by providing North America’s largest, most active unions with union-made, American and Canadian apparel that sends a powerful message: we stand for working people.

Raising union standards lifts pay, boosts safety, and builds stronger communities—these aren’t theories, but results you can measure.

Define What a Union Is and How It Works

Let’s clarify what unions do and why it matters for your organization’s future. A union is a group of workers who come together to negotiate—collectively—for fair pay, benefits, schedules, and safe workplaces. But it’s not just about the contract; it’s about voice and democracy on the job.

How Unions Operate: Simple, Powerful, Proven

Unions work because members drive every decision.

• Collective bargaining means sitting at the table, face-to-face, to win on wages, schedules, and health and safety protocols. The contract is binding. It delivers predictability for several years.
• Members elect their leaders, approve contracts, and vote on strikes. This keeps power in the hands of workers, enforcing real accountability.
• The steps: organize, sign authorization cards, go through legal elections, build bargaining committees, negotiate as equals, and establish grievance systems to solve problems quickly.
• Dues fund all of this—bargaining, legal defense, training, and contract enforcement. Most unions offer transparent budgets so you always see where your investment goes.
• In both the public and private sectors, the core process remains: worker-led negotiation, member votes, contract enforcement, and resource sharing.

A union is your members’ voice, backed by law, experience, and the power to make things happen.

Explore the Evidence: What Do Unions Achieve for Workers?

Results matter. Unions deliver them. Let’s break down why unions matter now more than ever:

• Union workers earn 10–15% more than non-union counterparts. In 2024, union members saw a median weekly earnings advantage of $199, putting more money in their pockets every payday.
• Health and retirement benefits aren’t extras. Ninety-five percent of union members have employer health care, while only 71% of nonunion workers do. Retirement access and paid leave are also consistently better in union contracts.
• Union power doesn’t stop at pay. Contracts drive safer workplaces, lower injury rates, and provide essential pandemic protections. One example: unionized long-term care workers saw lower COVID infection rates after securing guaranteed PPE and paid sick leave.
• Scheduling volatility is reduced. Many contracts set minimum hours and stop last-minute schedule changes. Workers know what to expect week after week.
• Union density closes gaps. Where unions are strong, gender and racial wage gaps shrink. Union contracts enforce equal pay for equal work, benefiting underrepresented workers.
• States with higher union density see higher median household incomes and fewer people without insurance.

These aren’t small wins. They change people’s lives. From hazard pay and fair schedules to safety committees and secure retirements, union victories translate directly to real security and stability.

Union contracts put guardrails on everyday chaos—transforming uncertainty into predictable pay, safety, and respect.

Highlight the Broader Social Impact: How Unions Strengthen Communities and Democracy

Union strength isn’t just about your paycheck. It reaches across communities, shaping laws, health outcomes, and social equality.

When unions grow, so do middle-class incomes and essential protections. States with high union density have:

• Median household incomes that beat low-density states by $12,300 or more. That’s felt at kitchen tables everywhere.
• Expanded Medicaid and higher levels of unemployment insurance, which protect families when jobs get tough.
• Higher spending on education—about $22,777 per student. That supports tomorrow’s workers and leaders.
• Fewer laws that block people from voting or weaken labor rights, supporting a stronger democracy.

Unions drive social progress by setting higher standards for everyone—not just their members.

Tell a Human Story: Before and After Union Representation

It’s one thing to see the numbers. It’s something else to feel the difference in a real workplace. Let’s look at the story of a grocery store crew in a mid-Atlantic city.

Before they unionized, workers dealt with unpredictable shifts, low pay, and no guarantee of safety gear. Every week felt uncertain. They often missed family events, worried about sudden schedule changes, and faced health risks without support.

After forming a union, their first contract brought:

• Set schedules and guaranteed minimum hours
• Earned raises that kept pace with inflation
• Employer-funded health coverage and a solid retirement plan
• Required PPE and safety committees that reacted fast to risks
• A clear grievance process so no worker faced retaliation alone

Paychecks grew, stress dropped, and families noticed the change. Parents planned child care. No more midnight calls to cover uncovered shifts. For this crew, the union wasn’t just a new contract—it was security, respect, and pride.

The shift from insecure, unpredictable work to reliable pay and real safety isn’t luck. It’s what union power delivers, contract after contract.

Address Common Concerns: What Are the Tradeoffs of Union Membership?

We know every dollar and decision counts for your union and its members. It’s smart to ask tough questions about union membership before taking action. What do dues pay for? Are contracts too rigid? Is striking the only way to win?

Let’s break down the realities:

Key Questions and Honest Answers

• Dues deliver value. Sure, members pay dues, but the typical union wage premium and better benefits almost always offset those costs. Higher pay, better health care, and stronger retirement security are real returns.
• Strikes are a tool, not the rule. Most issues get solved at the bargaining table. Strikes need member approval. Many contracts have no-strike clauses or outline clear decision steps, so the power stays with workers.
• Flexibility exists. Modern union contracts can build in flexible scheduling, telework options, and seniority-based bidding. Today’s contracts address your changing workplace needs head-on.
• Accountability to the membership. Union leadership is elected. Ratification votes on contracts are common. Budget transparency isn’t optional—it’s expected.
• Not a bureaucracy for bureaucracy’s sake. Democratic structure means your voice drives the agenda, not distant administrators.

When you invest in union membership, you gain control over pay, safety, and workplace rules—while limiting uncertainty and one-sided decisions.

Connect Unions to the Modern Workplace: Innovation, Inclusion, and Worker Voice

Unions are not stuck in the past. We’re actively shaping the future of work, making workplaces more modern, inclusive, and stable.

Driving Innovation and Skill-Building

Unions invest in skills. Many run union-managed apprenticeship programs that set industry standards and fill skill gaps. Contracts can include funding for upskilling and tech training, so your team adapts as jobs change.

Making Workplaces Fair and Equitable

Equality isn’t just a talking point. Union contracts create equal pay structures and explicit protections for underrepresented workers. That narrows wage gaps and boosts morale, keeping your workforce strong and engaged.

Securing Worker Voice—For Real Change

Unions negotiate for more than money. Formal grievance systems, health and safety committees, and real input in adapting to technology mean your members aren’t left to fend for themselves.

How Unions Advance Today’s Workplace:

• Retain experienced staff through stable pay and benefits.
• Reduce turnover by guaranteeing predictable, fair work.
• Negotiate technology transitions—think AI or new equipment—and protect jobs while boosting skills.
• Tackle discrimination by enforcing clear rules and fair processes.

Modern unions do more than negotiate. We future-proof your team and your mission.

Choose Union-Made: Why Your Choices Support Union Values

The goods you choose speak for your union’s values. Every jacket, vest, or mug that’s union-made is a signal—fair labor, solid standards, skilled craftsmanship.

We prioritize American and Canadian manufacturers. All our products carry proof of union work, so you’re never guessing about who you’re supporting.

Why Union-Made Products Make a Difference

• Workers earn fair wages and receive benefits backed by contracts—not empty promises.
• Health and safety standards protect everyone along the supply chain.
• Transparent union labeling means your organization can publicly stand behind every purchase.

When unions like yours buy union-made, you support a cycle that sustains middle-class jobs, boosts local economies, and leads by example for all your members.

Choose union-made products: every order funds real jobs, builds worker power, and supports communities across North America.

Action Steps: What Can Readers Do Next?

You want to make an impact. Take real, achievable steps with us:

• Learn the facts—compare your current pay and benefits to union averages in your field.
• Talk to peers about common workplace issues and what a union could solve.
• Show up—attend union meetings, trainings, or local events to build knowledge and unity.
• Choose union-made products for events, apparel, and recognition. Visit Promote Unions for our full range of union apparel and branded merchandise.
• Advocate for legislation that protects and expands union rights in your community.

No step is too small. Each action moves your members, and your community, closer to fairness and stability.

Conclusion: The Future Is Union Strong

Unions aren’t just relevant—they’re essential. They deliver higher wages, better benefits, real workplace safety, and a stronger, more just society. Now, more than ever, standing up for union values means standing up for every worker and every community that depends on them.

Take action. Stay involved. Support union-made. Together, we make today—and tomorrow—better for all.