Gone are the days when nearly half of American workers belonged to labor unions. But as it turns out, the number of unionized women workers in America is on pace to surpass the number of unionized men, reported the Wall Street Journal.
According to the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), women could become the majority of all unionized American workers by 2025.
The increase in female union membership has proven beneficial for working women. Unionized women enjoy earnings that are 31 percent higher than nonunion female workers. That increase, on average, translates to $2.50 per hour more.
“As women approach 50% of the labor movement and, over time, become local union presidents and national officers and then presidents of national unions, I do think that the opportunity for issues that are traditionally women’s responsibilities will be pushed further and further to the center,” said John Schmitt of the CEPR.
Should this trend continue, it could potentially redirect the pro-labor narrative to include more focus on women’s rights in the workplace. Women are already paid significantly less than men in the American workforce, and a growing female population in labor unions could fix that.
