Strong unions, stronger communities and democracy
By Margaret Poydock and Celine McNicholas • January 22, 2026
There is an undeniable correlation between higher levels of unionization and stronger economic, community, and democratic outcomes. States with a larger share of workers represented by a union enjoy higher incomes, greater access to health insurance, and fewer voting restrictions.
When workers join together in a union and collectively bargain with their employer, they can improve their pay, benefits, and working conditions. Union contracts provide workers with:
Higher wages: Workers covered by a union contract earn, on average, 12.8% more in wages than those of nonunionized peers with comparable characteristics. When union density is high, nonunionized workers benefit too, because nonunion employers must raise wages to retain and attract workers they need.
Reduced racial wage gaps: Black workers represented by a union are paid 12.6% more than their nonunionized Black peers, and Hispanic workers represented by a union are paid 16.4% more than their nonunionized Hispanic peers.
https://www.epi.org/publication/strong-unions-stronger-communities-and-democracy/