The Center for Economic and Policy Research released their new report, Unions and Upward Mobility for Young Workers, showing that unionization increases the wages earned by young workers.

Young workers are the most affected by the flat wage growth over the past few decades, resulting in lower inflation-adjusted income than previous generations despite higher qualifications and educational attainment.

The study found that young workers who are unionized earn 12.4% more in wages, approximately $1.75 per hour, than those young workers that are not in unions. Unionized young workers are 17% more likely to have employer-based health care and 24% more likely to have a pension plan.

The difference between union and non-union young workers is most dramatic in low-income occupations, with unionized workers being 27% more likely to have employer-based health care and 26% more likely to have a pension plan.

The study points out that one of the factors resulting in low inflation-adjusted wages is the steep drop in unionization over the last few decades. Unionization is extremely beneficial in allowing workers to bargain collectively for fair wages and benefits, and young workers that are unable to unionize suffer compared to those who can and do.

The labor movement is extremely important to the well-being of young workers, and further right-wing success in crippling organized labor would be devastating.