4 Benefits of Becoming a Union Contractor

It’s clear to see why workers choose to unionize. Workers covered by collective bargaining earn more, have better benefits, and report safer working conditions.

For employers, the benefits of ‘going union’ may seem less clear. After all, collective bargaining is by definition designed to empower the worker during the negotiation process. Perhaps this is why, historically, businesses fought to keep unions out rather than inviting them in.

Fast forward to 2020 where you’ll find many businesses discovering the benefits of becoming a union contractor.

Get Access to A Highly Trained, Highly Skilled Workforce

One of the biggest benefits of becoming a signatory contractor is the quality of workers you’ll have access to. IBEW Local 48 electricians are an excellent example, as all our members receive their training through the NECA-IBEW Training Center. There, they are taught by the most experienced instructors at the nation’s most technologically advanced facility in the United States. This means signatory contractors have a wide pool of excellent resources to fill open jobs.

An independent study found that IBEW work sites were as much as 17% more productive than non-union work sites, meaning you’ll not only get highly skilled workers, you’ll also enjoy greater productivity as an IBEW work site.

Collective Bargaining Creates Consistency 

The collective bargaining process can be time intensive, however, once a contract has been agreed upon, the negotiation process provides clear guidance on wage allocations, wage increases, working hours and even vacation time. This makes management of your employees throughout the rest of the year relatively easy by simplifying and standardizing your management requirements.

Safer Worksites Benefit All of Us

Worker safety is a top priority for all trade unions, and the IBEW is no exception. IBEW members are extremely well trained, especially when it comes to safety on the job. Well trained workers are also more likely to recognize health and safety hazards and to sound the alarm if proper safety precautions are not being met.

As a result, union work sites are some of the safest found anywhere. In 2019, New York’s Building Trades Employers Association released new stats using data from OSHA that showed that union construction workers were five times less likely to suffer a fatal accident than non-union workers. Union contractors also received 33% fewer violations per project than their nonunion counterparts, and 25% fewer stop work orders.

Lower Workplace Turnover and More Satisfied Workers

Research has shown that union membership tends to lower turnover rates in the workplace. This is likely due to the strong wage potential union members have, as well as the fact that workers that are unionized are more likely to feel that they have a ‘seat at the table’ and processes in place to address workplace grievances.

Today’s employers have plenty to gain by becoming union shops and luckily, the process to get started is both free and easy to get started.

Learn more about becoming an IBEW Local 48 signatory employer.