--- title: "Union vs Non-Union Wages| Wages Not Keeping Up With Inflation" description: "" url: "https://wimlaw.com/publications/newsletters/high-inflation-union-wages" date: "2026-06-01T19:52:52+00:00" language: "en-US" --- # With Inflation High, Union Wages Not Keeping Up Written on September 09, 2022. *Tag(s):* [September 2022 Newsletter](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_tags&view=tag&id%5B0%5D=31:september-2022-newsletter) 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](https://wimlaw.com/tags/september-2022-newsletter)[ ](https://wimlaw.com/contact)[Download the newsletter as a PDF](https://wimlaw.com/images/2022/09/2022-09-wim-law-newsletter.pdf) - [](https://x.com/intent/post?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimlaw.com%2Fpublications%2Fnewsletters%2Fhigh-inflation-union-wages.md&text=) - [](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwimlaw.com%2Fpublications%2Fnewsletters%2Fhigh-inflation-union-wages.md) - [](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimlaw.com%2Fpublications%2Fnewsletters%2Fhigh-inflation-union-wages.md) - [](mailto:?subject=With%20Inflation%20High%2C%20Union%20Wages%20Not%20Keeping%20Up) ## Related Content [ ![covid stats, deaths and recovered](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/ab/kobu-agency-F_IA6mwsgKY-unsplash-ab585487.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1269:eeoc-covid-19-guide&catid=53) ### [What You Should Know about Recent EEOC Covid-19 Guidance](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1269:eeoc-covid-19-guide&catid=53) [Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53) [Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1269:eeoc-covid-19-guide&catid=53) [ ![woman outdoors, two doors, red and blue choice](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/33/letizia-bordoni-IZGNcO_8CDg-unsplash-33b64352.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1267:abortion-employer-considerations&catid=53) ### [Considerations for Employers Dealing with Abortion Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1267:abortion-employer-considerations&catid=53) [Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53) [Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1267:abortion-employer-considerations&catid=53) [ ![handing a payment card to someone](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/e5/van-tay-media-chyT9XPAdcg-unsplash-e5eb2089.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1268:eeoc-employer-pay-data-requests&catid=53) ### [EEOC Issues Study about the Effect of Requesting Pay Data from Employers](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1268:eeoc-employer-pay-data-requests&catid=53) [Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53) [Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1268:eeoc-employer-pay-data-requests&catid=53) ## Get Email Updates Receive newsletters and alerts directly in your email inbox. Sign up below. ## Recent Content [ Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53) [ ![ai, human reach out](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/f1/igor-omilaev-FHgWFzDDAOs-unsplash-f12346e8.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1582:fcra-litigation-challenges-employers-ai-hiring&catid=53)### [FCRA Litigation Challenges Employers’ Use of AI Hiring Platforms](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1582:fcra-litigation-challenges-employers-ai-hiring&catid=53) [Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53) A January 20, 2026, class action filed against Eightfold AI, Inc. in California is sending shockwaves through the employer and AI community… [Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1582:fcra-litigation-challenges-employers-ai-hiring&catid=53) [ ![danger sign, skull](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/01/mikael-seegen-jX6WXNkvsPs-unsplash-01c1ebef.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1584:ai-research-discovery-requests-dangers&catid=53)### [The Dangers of Employers Using AI Research Tools as to Discovery Requests from Plaintiffs](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1584:ai-research-discovery-requests-dangers&catid=53) [Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53) A second “bombshell” affecting HR pertaining to AI is a federal court ruling in New York, that a defendant’s use of AI in researching and p… [Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1584:ai-research-discovery-requests-dangers&catid=53) [ ![CHAT GPT](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/64/emiliano-vittoriosi-fvxNerA8uk0-unsplash-64a16be4.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1585:ai-employer-protection&catid=53)### [Two Subsequent Cases Protect Defendant’s Use of AI as Subject to Work-product Protection](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1585:ai-employer-protection&catid=53) [Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53) Soon after the deciding of the above-discussed case on February 17, 2026, in U.S. v. Heppner, a criminal case in the District Court for the… [Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1585:ai-employer-protection&catid=53) [ ![avoid, wave away](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/6f/priscilla-du-preez-NQTphr4Pr60-unsplash-6fb4df83.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1586:employer-avoid-waiving-privileges-ai-research&catid=53)### [Is There Anything an Employer Can Do to Avoid Waiving Privileges in Using AI Research Tools?](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1586:employer-avoid-waiving-privileges-ai-research&catid=53) [Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53) There are no easy answers to the above question, but some general observations will nevertheless be made. First, the New York district cou… [Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1586:employer-avoid-waiving-privileges-ai-research&catid=53) [ ![ai visualization](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/45/milad-fakurian-5yWtM3M3JKM-unsplash-45306e6d.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1587:ai-legal-recommendations&catid=53)### [Suggestions on Use of AI](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1587:ai-legal-recommendations&catid=53) [Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53) Perhaps the starting point is to look at the type of AI platforms generally available. At a recent conference about AI use for HR, speaker… [Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1587:ai-legal-recommendations&catid=53) [ ![june 2026 legal immigration webinar promo graphic](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/45/june-2026-webinar-immigration-453d45bc.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1583:worksite-enforcement-tps-parole&catid=221)### [Worksite Enforcement and TPS and Parole Status Update](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1583:worksite-enforcement-tps-parole&catid=221) [Webinars: Employment Law "Hot Topics"](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=221) The webinar will cover how to deal with a worksite enforcement action and various types of immigration enforcement activities. The webinar… [Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1583:worksite-enforcement-tps-parole&catid=221) ### Additional Legal Resources [### Newsletter Explore ](https://wimlaw.com/publications/newsletters) [### Books Explore ](https://wimlaw.com/publications/books) [### Alerts Explore ](https://wimlaw.com/alerts) [### Articles Explore ](https://wimlaw.com/articles) [### Audits Explore ](https://wimlaw.com/audits) [### Events Explore ](https://wimlaw.com/events) ## Schema ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://wimlaw.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Publications", "item": "https://wimlaw.com/publications" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Newsletters", "item": "https://wimlaw.com/publications/newsletters" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "With Inflation High, Union Wages Not Keeping Up", "item": "https://wimlaw.com/publications/newsletters/high-inflation-union-wages" } ] } ```