Unions Help All, New Study Shows

Union members already know that being in the union benefits them, but now there’s more evidence that unions benefit everyone. As reported on the Union Plus blog, a new study reiterates that as union membership density falls, more money goes to the top 10%. Unions “not only raise the wage floor but can also lower the ceiling,” says economist Colin Gordon. “Labor unions both sustained prosperity, and ensured that it was shared.” But with the decline of unions in recent years, the share of income that goes to the top 10 percent has been hitting record highs; in 2012, the top 10% had 47.8 percent of the nation’s wealth, the highest in nearly a century. Just one more reason to be proud of your union.