Why Unions Matter

The Wichita Eagle featured a front page story on January 20, 2012 attacking labor unions and asserting that Kansas would be better off without them. I beg to differ. Unions benefit society, workers and employers. Here are some reasons why unions matter.

Workers join unions because they want to have a voice in the workplace regarding working conditions, workloads and ways to make work more effective while protecting worker safety. Farm workers form unions to reduce their exposure to pesticides. Nursing home workers form unions to combat back injuries. Poultry workers form unions to address repetitive motion injuries. Unions give workers the voice they need to ensure that they won’t be fired or denied compensation for work-related injuries.

Workers join unions because they want fair compensation and comprehensive benefits. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2008 the union pay advantage was 22 percent higher for all workers. Adequate compensation and comprehensive benefits enable workers and their families to live with dignity.

Workers join unions because they want job security. Boeing’s decision to leave Wichita reminds us that job security is not guaranteed. The company broke its word to the political leaders of our city and state and labor. But this makes the support of unions all the more important for Boeing workers who are being abandoned by their employer.

Workers join unions so that they can have the benefit of collective bargaining. Usually contract negotiations between unions and management are decent and agreed to in a relatively short period of time. Fair contracts mean that employers can count on their workforce, and workers can count on their employers. When workplace problems arise there are grievance procedures. And contracts provide for regular times for renewal. This helps create a stable, secure and predictable work environment.

I am not saying that unions are perfect. I am saying that workers are human beings who care deeply about their families, their jobs and their community. They want to provide for their loved ones, have a voice in their place of employment, and contribute to their community. In our society, unions are the primary vehicle that workers have to accomplish these goals.

Interfaith Worker Justice Kansas is a project of Global Faith in Action and an affiliate of Interfaith Worker Justice national and of the Wichita-Hutchinson Labor Federation. Our mission is to educate, organize and mobilize communities of faith, acting on the values of their traditions, to support worker justice. We honor employers who treat their employees fairly, and we stand with everyone who stands for justice in the workplace. (Primary source: IWJ doc)


Reverend David Hansen
Executive Director
Interfaith Worker Justice of Kansas