In the current economic landscape, the struggle for fair compensation, workplace safety and financial stability remains a defining challenge for many workers. While recent efforts to weaken health regulations, defund safety agencies and shift responsibility for risk from employers to individuals threaten workers’ livelihood, one truth remains clear: unions protect workers and improve their quality of life across several key measures.
One of the key indicators for a worker’s quality of life is access to safe employment where workers can come home every day in the same condition in which they left. This is especially true in industries like construction where physical risk can be high and workplace stress doesn’t just come from deadlines and responsibilities, but from the fear of injury or even death. A strong jobsite safety culture is essential, and across the board, research shows unionized jobsites consistently rank higher on key safety indicators than their nonunion counterparts.
The Institute for Work & Health (IWH) published a study that used workers’ compensation data to compare safety performance on union construction jobsites to nonunion construction jobs. They found that union jobsites saw 25 percent fewer lost workday incidents, 23 percent fewer lost workday claims from musculoskeletal injuries and 16 percent fewer claims for critical or severe injuries.
Union contractors are also more likely to perform key safety management actions, according to research from CPWR – The Center for Construction Research and Training. Nearly 80 percent of union contractors conduct job hazard analyses before starting work, compared to 56 percent of nonunion contractors. Similarly, the study also showed that 87 percent of union contractors prepared site-specific safety and health plans for their projects, compared with 69 percent for their nonunion counterparts.
Anti-union advocates and policies attempt to undermine the utility of unions and the importance of workplace safety agencies. Unions provide the necessary oversight to ensure that safety regulations are not just words on a page but a daily reality. By negotiating for better training, stronger protections and the right to refuse dangerous work without retaliation, unions provide safer working conditions and, in turn, a better quality of life.
It’s well established that financial stress is associated with higher rates of poor physical health and directly linked to poor mental health, including depression and anxiety. When workers feel financially secure, they live better, healthier lives. And according to data from the Federal Reserve’s Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED) between 2013 and 2022, union workers consistently report higher levels of financial wellness compared to nonunion workers in the same industry.
The statistics tell a compelling story of stability:
The union financial-protection effect is especially pronounced in states with “Right-to-Work” (RTW) laws, which weaken unions by allowing workers to benefit from union-negotiated wages and protections without contributing to the cost of representation. This type of legislation is often misunderstood—while it may sound good, it’s a misnomer and effectively starves unions of resources and reduces their ability to advocate effectively for workers.
Ironically, the push for RTW laws is often framed as a matter of “freedom,” but the economic reality suggests otherwise. States that have passed RTW legislation have seen economic damage and a decrease in individual financial well-being. Overall, unionized workers are more likely to report feeling financially comfortable (81 percent) than those in RTW states without union representation.
A strong union presence also raises the bar for all workers, forcing nonunion employers to compete and offer benefits and wages that mirror union standards. When unions are weakened and the standard of treatment diminishes, all workers suffer.
The assault on labor rights—characterized by deregulation and promotion of anti-union, RTW laws—leaves workers vulnerable. However, we know that there is power in a collective voice. By securing better wages, ensuring safer working conditions and providing a foundation of financial stability, unions remain the most vital tool we have for improving the quality of life for all working people. To support unions is to support a fairer, safer and more prosperous society for everyone.
[Hannah Sabitoni]
