The gender wage gap among union members is 40 percent smaller than for non-union workers, according to new analysis by the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) of data released this morning by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“Today’s data show that union membership boosts wages for all workers—but especially for women,” said Joan Entmacher, Vice President for Family Economic Security. “The wage gap for women in unions is much smaller than for women who are non-union workers. But last year the rate of union membership for women was flat. To promote equal pay for women, it’s time for lawmakers to stop the attacks on unions—and strengthen workers’ rights to organize.”
Gender wage gap for union members is 40 percent smaller than for non-union workers.
- Among union members, women working full time typically make 89.1 percent of what their male counterparts make weekly—a wage gap of 10.9 cents.
- Among non-union workers, women working full time typically make 81.8 percent of what their male counterparts make weekly—a wage gap of 18.2 cents.*
Women’s union wage premium is 1.2 times as large as men’s.
- Union members typically make more per week than non-union workers—but the bonus is larger for women.
- Female union members who work full time typically make $904 per week—32 percent ($217) more than female non-union workers who typically make $687 per week. In contrast, male union members who work full time typically make $1,015 per week—21 percent ($175) more than male non-union workers who typically make $840 per week.
- Among women, Latina workers experience particularly high financial benefits from union membership. Among full-time workers, Latina union members typically make 46 percent more ($237 per week) than Latina non-union workers. Among African American women working full time, union members typically make 34 percent more than non-union workers—a wage premium of $202 per week. For Asian women this figure is 14 percent more ($116 per week) and for white women it is 32 percent more ($225 per week).
The rate of union membership remained flat for women between 2013 and 2014
- The number of union members increased by 48,000 workers between 2013 and 2014 but the rate of union membership—the percentage of employees who were members of unions—declined 0.2 of a percentage point to 11.1 percent.
- The percentage of employed women who were union members remained constant between 2013 and 2014 at 10.5 percent, while the rate for men dropped by 0.2 of a percentage point to 11.7 percent.
Read the complete report from the National Women’s Law Center »
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