Trade union positives
A TUC pamphlet, The union advantage, outlines how unions benefit not only individual workers but also employers and society as a whole.
For individuals it points out that 55% of unionised workplaces had pay rises in 2011 compared to just 35% of non-unionised ones and union members have 3.8 days’ more paid leave on average than non-union members. Unionised workplaces are also on average healthier and safer than non-unionised ones, thanks largely to union safety reps.
Young workers benefit particularly from union membership. It says that 16-24 year-olds who are union members earn on average a third more than those who are not.