Union Jobs Mean Better Benefits
Focus on Your Financial Future
"The money couldn’t get any better," said Sean Keeley, who recently got out of the Navy as a
machinery repairman. Keeley, now employed as a boilermaker, was surprised to get such a great
career opportunity right out of the service. He credits his industry success to good training and
the work ethic that he developed in the Navy. "To come to a company like this and start off at the
money I am making now is unbelievable," he said. "Being around guys that are more experienced than
I am allows me to actually learn a lot. I started off a lot higher, because of the experience I've
had."
Keeley's military experience is relevant to his experience now. In the Navy, he was a
machinery repairman and worked with welders on a day to day basis. "I gained the information on
boilers from being in the Navy," he said "it's the same set up but a much tighter space ... and I
was able to learn a great deal about a variety of metals."
Keeley feels that his military experience sets him ahead of his counterparts and contributed
to his success. He can act quickly on his feet and adapt to new challenges, something that many
employers are quick to recognize. "I remember one time, we were going through a testing schedule
where a bunch of other Navy guys come in and check through the ship to see if everything is running
right. One of the diesel generators starters was blown. We ended up taking it apart at midnight
until 6 or 7 in the morning fixing it. We had to take the whole machine apart and rebuild it again
for these testers."
But why would a military veteran choose a union job?
For many vets, union affiliated jobs, such as those offered by the Helmets to Hardhats
program, can be a very lucrative career path. Employers value the determination and work ethic that
workers acquire in the military and seek those with military experience. And affiliation with a
union means better hours, better wages, and better benefits with a good degree of job security.
According to the Department of Labor, in 2007, among full-time wage and salary workers, union
members had median usual weekly earnings of $863 while those who were not represented by unions had
median weekly earnings of $663. The union wage benefit is even greater for minorities and women.
Union women earn 33 percent more than non-union women; African American union members earn 37
percent more than their non-union counterparts. For Latino workers, the union advantage equals 51
percent and for Asian American workers, the union advantage is 4 percent.
Union workers are more likely than their non-union counterparts to be covered by health care
and receive pension benefits, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. In March 2007,
78 percent of union workers in the private sector had jobs with employer-provided health insurance,
compared with only 49 percent of non-union workers. Union workers also are more likely to have
retirement and short-term disability benefits.
Aside from these considerations, the AFL-CIO explains that there is also better sickness and
accident benefits, contractual protections for safety on the job, and job security and protections
from discretionary actions by the employer. This is especially important for members of trades who
are often subjected to job environments susceptible to physical risk. For this reason, when
searching for a profession in the construction industry, union membership is an important
consideration for any job seeker.
For more information about career opportunities as a Boilermaker, please visit the Helmets to Hardhats trade union page or contact the Helmets to Hardhats Field Director in your area for assistance.
