AFSCME welcomed tens of thousands of new members in 2024, an announcement made by AFSCME President Lee Saunders today in response to the annual report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on union membership and earnings.
“This growth comes after a year of relentless organizing, with new AFSCME locals forming in health care, emergency response, public safety, the cultural sector and more,” Saunders said in a press release. “The message we are hearing across all workplaces is clear and consistent: Organizing in a union is the best way to ensure workers have the freedom to secure a better future, especially in the face of rising attacks by billionaires and anti-union extremists who see our growth and seek to stop it.”
The BLS report shows what AFSCME members know firsthand: life is better in a union. Not only do union members earn more than their nonunion counterparts, but they have a voice on the job to improve safety and workplace conditions. Moreover, they and their families have access to better benefits including health care and a more secure retirement.
According to the report, among full-time wage and salary workers in 2024, union members had median usual weekly earnings of $1,337 compared to $1,138 for their nonunion counterparts. That’s a union difference of 17% or $199 per week, which works out to about $800 a month and more than $10,000 annually.
The union difference is even greater for women workers and for workers who are Black or Hispanic. According to the report:
- Women workers who were unionized in 2024 earned 21% more than their nonunion counterparts.
- Among Black workers, the union difference was also 21%.
- Hispanic workers who were members of unions earned 31% more than their nonunion counterparts.
“As the Bureau of Labor Statistics illustrates in their annual report on union membership and earnings, unionized workplaces offer higher wages and better benefits, giving workers peace of mind,” Saunders also said. “This is especially true for women and workers of color who see pay gaps close when they win a seat at the table. As we move into 2025, we take this momentum with us, standing strong and committed to organizing – both internally and externally – for our seat at the table.”