Union workers are more
likely than their nonunion
counterparts to receive
health care and pension
benefits, according to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In 2004, 89% of union
workers in private industry
participated in medical care
benefits, compared with only
67% of nonunion
workers. Union workers also
are more likely to have
retirement and short-term
disability benefits.
As the chart below
illustrates, 84% of
union workers are covered by
pension plans versus 56% on nonunion workers.
Seventy percent of union
workers have defined-benefit
retirement coverage,
compared with 16% of
nonunion workers. (Defined-benefit plans are
federally insured and
provide a guaranteed monthly
pension amount. They are
better for workers than
defined-contribution plans,
in which the benefit amount
depends on how well the
underlying investments
perform.)
