Some employers and politicians claim that unions lead to higher costs and more red tape. What they’re missing is that when workers have a voice on the job, workplaces are safer, turnover is lower and productivity improves. These factors benefit both workers and employers in the long run.
The LHSFNA’s joint labor-management model means we take the business owner’s perspective into account and work toward safety solutions that benefit both sides. In fact, being signatory with LIUNA offers significant, often undervalued, advantages for employers, including access to a more skilled workforce, better projects, free health and safety services and increased competitiveness in the market.
“The union safety advantage for workers is well-documented, but the benefits for contractors often go unrecognized,” said LIUNA General President and LHSFNA Labor Co-Chair Brent Booker. “Instead of viewing unions as an obstacle, we want employers to see us as a strategic partner for long-term success.”
Being signatory with LIUNA ensures access to a highly qualified and reliable labor pool, which is critical for meeting project timelines and quality standards. The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) reported that union contractors are 21 percent less likely to experience delays due to a shortage of workers and are 14 percent less likely to report difficulty in filling positions. And not only are there more workers available, but they tend to be better trained and more skilled too.
A survey conducted by Independent Project Analysis (IPA) found that contractors are more likely to rate union workers’ skill level as above average or highly skilled, compared to nonunion workers. For example, 75 percent of project owners rated union pipefitters as above average or highly skilled compared to only 63 percent for open shop labor.
Having access to highly skilled workers also contributes to a safer work environment, which leads to lower costs. That’s because worksite injuries and illnesses are expensive and incur substantial direct and indirect costs. Some of the direct costs associated with safety violations and injuries are obvious: workers’ compensation costs, medical expenses, legal services, OSHA fines and potential lawsuits. However the indirect costs such as lost productivity, administrative time for investigations, time spent hiring and retraining replacement workers and damage to a contractor’s reputation can be even more significant.
Union-affiliated services—such as those offered by the LHSFNA—help control these costs and protect employers. These comprehensive safety and health services include benefits like:
Beyond an improved workforce and safety record, unions also give contractors access to better jobs and fundamentally improve their credibility and reputation. For example, union jobsites have a verifiably better safety record than their nonunion counterparts. One study found that union jobsites were 19 percent less likely to have health and safety violations than non-union jobsites. And when safety and health violations were present, OSHA inspectors issued 34 percent fewer violations per inspection on union sites compared to non-union sites.
Having a reputation for being a safe and effective employer can open up doors for your business, as evidenced by Cincy Cuts, one of LIUNA’s signatory employers. After working with the LHSFNA to update their health and safety programs to meet the stringent requirements of a General Electric project, the contractor secured the contract. This partnership not only helped them win the job but also positioned them for additional opportunities that were previously out of reach.
“Working with the LHSFNA was a game-changer for Cincy Cuts,” said Josh Kilgore, Cincy Cuts partner. “Their partnership didn’t just help us secure a highly coveted contract; it fundamentally positioned us for better, larger opportunities that were previously unattainable. We truly value the support and expertise the LHSFNA provided.”
By actively partnering with unions, employers can transform their businesses to be inherently safer and more efficient. This collaboration drives down costs and maximizes the value of their best asset: their workers.
[Hannah Sabitoni]
