Worker’s unions have long worked hard to make sure that people are treated with fairness in the workplace. While you may already know that a Union can help to improve the safety of individuals that work within specific fields, you might not be aware that they also help entire communities. It’s important to consider how unions benefits communities, not just individuals, especially as new laws and regulations are put in place that may limit the power of reach of unions.
Lower the Unemployment Rate
Communities need people to have jobs that provide them with an income along with a sense of personal fulfillment. Crime rates also tend to go down when people have steady jobs that don’t leave them wondering about how they can pay for the things that they need. Unions help with employee retention by stepping in as needed to negotiate things such as pay raises and safer working conditions. When more people keep their jobs, your community will experience lower crime rates and benefit from having people who contribute to the overall atmosphere of the city.
Reduce the Strain on Public Resources
In the past, the building industry was often associated with low wage jobs that came with a high rate for injuries. Fortunately, that is no longer always the case, and you can thank unions for that. A building contractor union helps to ensure that employees are paid fair wages and given access to things such as insurance. This helps them to avoid having to rely upon public resources for food and health care. With fewer people needing public assistance, communities can divert their money toward helping people who truly need it and implementing programs that address poverty.
Boost the Local Economy
When people feel financially comfortable, they tend to do more shopping. A union can help to bring more money to your local businesses. For instance, construction workers who are building in the area will naturally need somewhere to eat lunch. Union Members are also likely to stop at the grocery store and seek other services within the community when they can afford to do so.
Help Educate Residents
Unions are also all about helping people to improve their careers. They offer training programs that can help people to get their foot in the door with a specific industry. They can also help to retrain current union members on skills or machinery that has been updated by modern technology. Educating people helps to elevate your community by adding more people to the area who are highly trained and skilled. These people are also more likely to pass on their new knowledge to other people, which creates a snowball effect that keeps bringing more benefits to the table.
For many years, workers have had to fight for their rights against companies that may not always have their best interests in mind. Worker’s unions help to make this easier by serving as a middleman that helps everyone in the community benefit from good working conditions.
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Brooke Chaplan is a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most of her time hiking, biking, and gardening. For more information, contact Brooke via Facebook at facebook.com/brooke.chaplan or Twitter @BrookeChaplan
