Unions are good for all workers. They improve wages, benefits, and working conditions, and helped create the middle class. Unions raise wages for all workers. Even today, union workers earn significantly more on average than non-union counterparts and union employers are more likely to provide benefits.

Unions are associated with higher productivity, lower employee turnover, improved workplace communication, and a better-trained workforce. There is a substantial amount of academic literature on the following benefits of unions and unionization to employers and the economy: Economic growth. Productivity.

Unions are important because they help set the standards for education, skill levels, wages, working conditions, and quality of life for workers. Union-negotiated wages and benefits are generally superior to what non-union workers receive. Most union contracts provide far more protections than state and federal laws.

The power of labor unions rests in their two main tools of influence: restricting labor supply and increasing labor demand. Since a higher wage rate equates to less work per dollar, unions often face problems when negotiating higher wages and instead will often focus on increasing the demand for labor.

Unions have served workers well by improving working conditions and helping workers avoid being exploited by employers. Even today, unions have a strong impact. That’s a 27% higher income for union workers.

30 Most Powerful Unions in America

1. National Education Association of the United States (NEA)
2. Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
3. American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
4. International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT)
5. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

About 10% of workers belonged to a union in 2019 The AFL-CIO is the largest union federation in the U.S., made up of 55 national and international unions with 12.5 million members worldwide. Its member unions span from the Actors Equity Association to the Utility Workers Union of America.

the American Federation of Labor (AFL)

If a member violates something that is in the union’s constitution, nearly every union has the right to place its members on trial. If a member is found guilty at a union trial, members can often be kicked out of the union, have his or her membership suspended, or be fined money.

Union dues are a regular payment of money made by members of unions. Dues are the cost of membership; they are used to fund the various activities which the union engages in. Nearly all unions require their members to pay dues.

If you don’t join the union, or resign from membership, and notify the union that you don’t want to pay full dues, the required fee must be limited to the union’s proven costs of collective bargaining activities. Otherwise, the employee could be fined by the union.

As with many other organizations, union costs are paid by member dues that typically cost about $50 a month. Most unions have paid staff to manage their operations. While some staff may be paid by union dues, members also often volunteer.

Can I Deduct Union Dues Now? For tax years 2018 through 2025, union dues – and all employee expenses – are no longer deductible, even if the employee can itemize deductions. However, if the taxpayer is self-employed and pays union dues, those dues are deductible as a business expense.

To enter your Union Dues in TurboTax:

1. Continue your return in TurboTax Online.
2. Click Tax Tools (lower left of your screen).
3. Select Tools.
4. In the pop-up window, select Topic Search.
5. In the I’m looking for: box, type union dues.
6. In the results box, highlight union dues, then click GO.

Tax Reminder: Certain Itemized Deductions — Like Union Dues — Are Now Suspended. Employees can no longer deduct union dues in tax years 2018 through 2025 as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which Congress signed into law on December 22, 2017.