It's important to highlight the benefits of union membership

When unionism was first formed, it was an outlet for workers to have a say in the company they worked for. This was influential in our world, as workers were treated badly and given unfit working conditions. While this helped people in the past, unions are beginning to diminish. Although this may be a fact, there are many beneficial reasons to join a union that many may not recognize.

I believe that it is extremely important to promote the expansion of unionism in our society. Unions are able to give women equal pay and have benefits that not only aid the employee, but their family as well. My minor at Rutgers University is in labor studies, and I am very adamant about this topic and believe that it is important to resurrect unionism in our society. 

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In today's society there is a serious problem with the wage gap between men and women. There are many factors that go into this wage gap, but unions are able to give woman a chance to have equal pay with their male counterparts. In a regular company there are many factors that come into play when it comes to how much each employee makes.

In a unionized corporation, employees get paid based on their job title, which means employees of the same job title make the same pay. Woman are just as capable as men are in all fields of work, but in many large corporations get pushed into lower-paying jobs than men, due to the "glass escalator." 

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The most important aspect of unionism has to do with benefits. Unions are known for their great benefits, which is extremely important whether you have a family or not. Pensions are a dying advantage in the workforce, but unionism allows for pensions to thrive. In any other corporation it is mainly up to the employee to fund their own retirement program, which can be hard for people if they have to live paycheck to paycheck as it must be taken from your pay.

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Many people in today's society do not understand the importance of having a retirement plan, as it seems so far away. With a pension plan, employees are able to secure a plan that will allow them to live comfortably after retirement. Also, when it comes to job safety insurance, union members are more likely to have a coverage plan over non-union members. Benefits are an important part of life as many people need this coverage because things come up in life that can't be controlled and medical bills can be extremely expensive. 

Unions are such an important part of society and have so many advantages for America in general. Union based companies have a lower turnover rate than non-union companies, which can help with economic growth. Unions also have very good coverage, which can lead to higher rates of productivity. 

Carly Bokop

Point Pleasant