Family Friendly Workplaces: Unions Make a Difference

Overall, union employees fare better in the workplace than nonunion employees with regard to policies that promote a viable balance between responsibilites at work and at home.  The main findings of the report include:  

• Companies with any unionized employees are 1.7 times more likely to comply with the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).  Union employees are more likely to have heard of the FMLA and are understand their rights and responsibilities as it applies to using FMLA leave.
• Unionized workers are 50% more likely than nonunionized workers to have paid personal leave that can be used for the care of a sick child.  Additionally, union workers are 1.3 times more likely than nonunion workers to have access to paid sick leave that can be used to care for sick children.
• Union employees required to pay part of their health care premiums absorb, on average, 13% of the premium cost compared to 32% of the cost absorbed by nonunion employees.  Also, the study finds that in workplaces where 30% or more of the workforce are union members the company is 5 times as likely to pay the total healthcare premium as companies without any unionized workers.

To download the full study, click here.

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