New Research Shows Union Membership Boosts Wages, Benefits for Disabled Workers

August 19, 2024

Contact:Peter Hart, 732-266-4932Mail_Outline

Analysis shows union workers maintained advantages even through the COVID-19 crisis

WASHINGTON, DC - A new research paper shows that disabled workers represented by a union earn higher wages, and are more likely to have health insurance and retirement benefits than those who are not members of a union.

The analysis - published by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) - found that between 2016 and 2023, the regression-adjusted mean hourly wage for a disabled worker represented by a union was $31.99 - substantially higher than that for a non-union worker with a disability ($27.18). This wage premium persisted across a range of different categories of disability, and across racial and ethnic groups. Among those of prime working age (ages 25 to 54), the regression-adjusted mean hourly wage for a disabled worker was nearly 18 percent higher for workers with union representation.

In addition to the wage benefits, the CEPR analysis finds that even after controlling for other factors, disabled union workers enjoy greater access to employer-sponsored health insurance (69.7 percent vs. 49.3 percent) and retirement benefits (46.5 percent vs. 30.1 percent).

"It is clear that workers with disabilities gain substantial economic advantages when they belong to a union," said Hayley Brown, Research Associate at the Center for Economic and Policy Research. "These findings highlight the vital role unions play in advocating for equitable compensation for disabled workers, while also pointing to ongoing challenges that need to be addressed to achieve full economic parity."

While these results show a clear association between union representation and stronger wages and benefits, further research could reveal whether and to what extent these benefits are tied to specific contract language or other factors.

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