Value in Being Union: Pay Raise Edition
It pays to be in a union. Literally. Thanks to the power of union bargaining, OCSEA state members will see their 3 percent wage increase effective with the pay period which includes July 1, 2023. This "value in being union" goes a long way to making sure public union members have the resources and benefits needed to stay on top of bills, invest in their futures and even take much needed vacations.
Additionally, as we saw last week, having a union voice has A LOT of value too. State members who work remotely came together in force last week and let their voices be heard in the State legislature. Members called and wrote legislators about the impact that a budget proposal to return to office four days a week will have, not only on working families but also on taxpayers and the communities they serve. ODJFS members also joined in solidarity to stand up against budget cut proposals that will hurt services to Ohioans who need to get back to work and more. As a result of the unified dissent led by union members, the State legislature is going back to the drawing board, especially on these two issues, and even may push back the deadline to pass the budget. See the budget story above on ways to continue to take action on these issues until a fair, union-friendly budget is passed!
There is so much value in being union, not only on a daily basis as we fight together for livable wages and rights at work, but also over our lifetimes as public employee union members. Did you know? Workers who are members of labor unions in the U.S. make 18 percent more than their nonunion counterparts, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ annual report on union membership.
For example, over a 30-year career, the average union member makes over $250,000 more than their nonunion counterparts, and that doesn’t even count the health care and benefits savings. If you add benefits and retirement that unions fight for, workers who spent their lifetimes as union members are projected to earn $3.4 million over their careers. That's $1.3 million over their non-union counterparts. Plus, union workers are more likely to retire earlier. Read more: Business Insider October 2022
The numbers tell the REAL story for public employees and their families, and that's something these anti-union groups will never understand. That's why it's so important that union members take those numbers and spread the word about the REAL VALUE in being union. Only once we all see the real value in being union can we all take a stand solidly to protect union benefits and our jobs. Help spread the word! Let your union co-workers know.
Share the VALUE IN BEING UNION flyer in your workplace and at union meetings at OCSEA.org/Value.
*All wage data is based on the 2021-2022 Bureau of Labor Statistics report.