Accessibility Tools

Skip to main content

With Inflation High, Union Wages Not Keeping Up

Written on .

For the past year, compensation for workers with non-union jobs is rising faster than those represented by a union. Wages for non-union workers rose 6%, compared to 3.4% for those in unions.  

One reason for the disparity is that unions negotiate long-term collective bargaining agreements, typically three years, locking in pay rates in spite of inflationary times.  An example of how non-union workers adapt more quickly is at Delta Airlines, where Delta started paying flight attendants for the time the passengers spend boarding, while the attendants at 17 other union-represented airlines do not.  A recent example at Starbucks shows that it granted pay increases to about 9,000 non-union stores while the 200 stores that have recently been unionized were excluded, due to the requirement to first negotiate with the union.

This article is part of our September 2022 Newsletter.

View newsletter online

Download the newsletter as a PDF

Related Content

Get Email Updates

Receive newsletters and alerts directly in your email inbox. Sign up below.
Silhouette worker
Recent changes in the composition of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), and government directives suggest the possibility of signif…
change neon sign
There’s a new Administration in DC, and things are changing rapidly. Executive Orders articulate new policies, there’s new leadership with…
a closet of color coordinated clothes
On his second day in office, January 21, 2025, President Trump issued an executive order titled:  “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restor…
immigrants collecting crops
Trump's Executive Orders presently do not affect employees who are authorized to work at the present time but may affect any workers who ar…
male, femal, bathroom sign
President Trump’s Executive Order issued the first day in office requires federal agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Comm…
crane clash, wilderness
On January 27, 2025, President Trump removed National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) member Gwynne Wilcox, and General Counsel Jennifer Abruz…