Unions Equal Happier Workers
November 05, 2010
Worth a read: from Inside INdiana Business, a researcher from the University of Notre Dame says unions make members — and non-member workers — happy. Political scientist Benjamin Radcliff bases his conclusion on a study of unions in 14 nations.
Examining life-satisfaction data from several European countries as well as Japan, Australia and the U.S., Radcliff and his colleagues based their study on the notion that happiness with one's life increasingly means happiness at work. So what, exactly, brings workers happiness? Unions, according to Radcliff. There are obvious benefits for members: job security, fair wages, benefits and decent hours. But for those who are not members, there is Radcliff's "indirect effect:" "People who have union jobs like their jobs better," he says. "And that puts pressure on other employers to extend the same benefits and wages to compete with the union shops."
