We are the Union

Fewer and fewer Americans belong to a union. Membership is down to a historic low of 11.2 percent of the work force, and only 6.7 percent of workers in the private sector. Americans are less likely to live in a union household or know someone that belongs to a union than in the past. But a recent study may give some workers reason to reconsider. For those who belong to a union, membership seems to bring a benefit that perhaps surpasses better wages or generous health insurance: higher life satisfaction.

Patrick Flavin, an assistant professor at Baylor University, and Gregory Shufeldt, an assistant professor at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, used data from five different years between the early 1980s and mid-2000s, conducted in the United States, of the World Values Survey, a research project focusing on people’s beliefs. As they write in the report, they found that “union members are more satisfied with their lives than those who are not members and that the substantive effect of union membership on life satisfaction is large and rivals other common predictors of quality of life.”

Simply put, if one goal of labor unions is to boost the quality of life for their members, the study provides empirical evidence that they are succeeding.

They say “Most of the widely known achievements of the American labor movement occurred nearly 100 years ago. We take many of these gains for granted, such as the 40 hour workweek, child protection laws, the right to collectively bargain, etc.” Nevertheless, unions have faced determined, even existential opposition to their very existence. Even the ability to organize and join a labor union has become a politically challenged with battles over collective bargaining rights and employee benefits in several states.

They researchers said : “If our paper could give any advice to labor unions, it is hopefully that we can give new meaning to the adage, ‘don’t mourn, organize.’ ”