The Union Wage Premium in 2011

Union Membership and EarningsABS 6310.0

By PresenterMedia.com

•Published annually by the ABS

•Data taken in August 2010 was released in early May 2011

Wages and Earnings Survey

Wages and Earnings Survey

• Union membership declined from August 2009 – August 2010

• Currently 18% of the workforce are union members

- Union membership

Wages and Earnings Survey

• Teaching is the most unionised profession, at 39%

• Agriculture is the least, at 2%

- Union membership

Wages and Earnings Survey

• The survey breaks people into fourteen groups from highest to lowest paid

• In the lowest paid group, 6% are union members

• In the second- and third- lowest, 9% are union members

- Union membership and Income level

Wages and Earnings Survey

• In the second- and third- highest paid group, 26% are union members

• The very highest paid group (which includes executives and CEOs!) still includes 18% union members

- Union membership and Income level

Wages and Earnings Survey

• 25% of non members had no paid leave entitlement

• 8% of members had no paid leave entitlement

- Leave entitlements

Wages and Earnings Survey

• 10% of non members had no paid superannuation

• 2% of members had no paid superannuation

- Superannuation entitlement

A Comparison between two StatesSource: BusinessWeek, 30 April 2011

Two-state Comparison

California:

• 85%

Two-state Comparison- Number of public employees who are union members

Texas:

• 10% (at most)

California:

• $55,941

Two-state Comparison- Average public employee salary

Texas:

• $44,666

California:

• 32% increase

Two-state Comparison- Increase in public sector retirement pensions in last 5 years

Texas:

• 4% increase

A small investment in union membership gives you leverage for:

• Higher wages

• Paid leave

• Retirement savings

The moral of the story

Sources: ABS Catalogue 6310.0

Seriously, You’d Rather Work in California,

BusinessWeek 30 April 2011