Subsite 2

Union members earn more

Union members earn up to 43% more than non-members, according to a new ACTU analysis of unpublished ABS earnings data.

The peak body said its analysis showed that union members earn an average of 15% or $99 a week more than their non-union counterparts.

In particular, part-timers, casuals, women and teenage workers received better than average pay if they were union members.

The data from the ABS Employee Earnings, Benefits and Trade Membership survey showed that in August last year:

part-time workers who were union members earned 42.9% and $129 more a week than non-members;

women workers who were members earned 24% and $123 more a week than non-members;

casual workers who were members earned 16.2% and $64 a week more than non-members; and

workers aged 15-19 who were members earned 20.2% or $40 more a week than non-members.

ACTU president Sharan Burrow said the data also showed that wages for union members were outstripping those for non-members in industries such as communications services, finance, insurance, utilities and mining.

Members working in accommodation, cafes, restaurants, transport, storage and education were earning a premium of at least 30%, she said.

The data demonstrated the relevance of unions, Burrow said.

© 2001 Community & Public Sector Union - State Public Services Federation (CPSU-SPSF) - National Office

http://www.cpsu-spsf.asn.au/latest_news/subsite2/20020327_union.html
Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005