Men and women working in the construction industry see the difference a union makes in every paycheck. The average wage for a union-represented construction worker is $20.60, compared with $13.30 for a construction worker without a union, according to the Current Population Survey.
In some sectors, the advantage is even greater. For example, a Union sheet metal worker averages $25.47 an hour in wages and benefits, compared to $13.72 for heavy-highway workers not in a union, according to Engineering News Record’s Construction Economics Department.
Joining together in a union helps neutralize pay discrimination. The most recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that union construction workers who are women enjoy a 70 percent pay advantage. Latinos hold a 64 percent pay advantage, and for African Americans, the advantage is 42 percent.
The SMWIA has one of the best continuing education systems in the world—and it’s free. This training opens the doors to new opportunities by providing members with the skills employers need, today and in the industry of the future. There are over
170 training facilities with classes available in every corner of the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.
The SMWIA helps keep members safer by empowering workers with the ability to speak out about workplace hazards, and by providing training that helps workers recognize potential hazards.
When it comes to healthcare and retirement, construction workers with a union have the advantage. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 82 percent of union construction workers have health insurance compared to only 46 percent of non-union construction workers.
The U.S. Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration reports that while only 35 percent of non-union construction workers have a pension plan, 77 percent of union construction workers have one.