Union members earn more. Here’s why.
How much more do union members earn?
Union members earn $251 more per week than non-members!
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in December 2024, the median weekly earnings for workers who are union members is $1,600 per week, compared with $1,349 for workers who are not union members.
Permanent and casual workers earn more as union members
The data from the ABS shows that being a union member leads to higher pay, no matter how you’re employed or where you are in your working life.
For permanent workers who are employed full-time and a union member, their median hourly earnings is $49.00 – compared to $43.75 for full-time workers who are not union members.
Permanent part-time workers who are union members get an even bigger advantage over non-members; with median hourly earnings of $43.33 per hour, compared to only $32.60 for part-time workers who are not union members.
As for casual workers who are union members, their median hourly earnings is a whopping $11.29 higher than casuals who have not joined their union! That’s $42.86 for members compared to just $31.57 per hour for non-members.
No matter your age, union members earn more
Age-wise, the largest difference in median hourly earnings is for those aged 25-34 years old, where union members earn $46.25 an hour compared to $38.44 for non-members.
But young workers are also better off if they’ve joined their union, with workers aged 15-24 years who are members earnings $33.32 per hour compared to only $27.50 for non-members.
It’s clear that union membership equals higher pay – and this is due to a combination of union benefits for members.
Union membership = collective bargaining power
Remember: when you read or hear that union members earn more than non-members, it doesn’t mean that a union member will earn more than their co-worker who is not a member, in the same job, with the same employer. Nor does it mean that as soon as you join your union, your pay automatically goes up.
It means that in general, union members have higher wages than non-members. And generally, ‘unionised’ workplaces or industries (where lots of the workers are union members) have higher rates of pay, than workplaces or industries with lower numbers of union members.
Union members protect – and advance – their pay in lots of ways. But union members’ biggest strength comes from their power to negotiate higher pay.
Collective bargaining is where workers come together to negotiate better pay and conditions with their employer, usually with a union who represents and advocates for the members.
Collective bargaining is usually formalised in a written ‘agreement’ (sometimes called an ‘enterprise bargaining agreement’ or ‘collective agreement’ or similar). These agreements must be registered and approved by the Fair Work Commission before they come into effect, and they remain in place until they expire or are terminated.
Collective bargaining ensures workers get a fair deal. Non-members might benefit from the union members’ negotiations, but this benefit would be even bigger if they were also union members. More members = more power! The collective workers’ voice is stronger, louder and harder to ignore or reject.
The evidence is clear: whichever way you look at it, the key to higher wages is union membership.
Are you already a union member?
Reach out to your union for more specific information about how you and your workmates can make the most of your rights at work.
Not yet a member?
Joining your union is the most powerful decision you can make to protect your rights at work.