People in a union, on average, make more than thier non-union counterparts. In 2001, full-time union workers earned $718 per week, compared with only $575 for non-union workers (Quigley 81). Individual workers lack the financial and organizational bargaining power to fight businesses. There is power in numbers, and in the collective power of workers. Unions do not only raise wages, but are large contributors on election politicians and passing laws that favor low wage workers. Unions help to ensure a higher wage, a living wage.
However, Union membership has been declining. 32.5% of workers in the United States were unionized in 1953 compared to 13.5% unionized currently (Quigley 81). Minimum wage, adjusted for inflation, was also much higher back then. Adjusted for inflation, it is estimated that the minimum wage of 1968, $1.60, would amount to about $8.50 today (Quigley 115). The decline of union power may be one of the factors in the very low minimum wage.
Unions are very important in getting a living wage for workers at Santa Clara University. Bon Appetit, for example, works with the local union SEIU 715*. There is a contract between Bon Appetit and the union that is renewed every four years. It is the responsibility of the union to fight for the living wage in the contract on behalf of its workers. However, the contract, which is long, complex, and written in legal jargon, is often difficult for the workers to understand. For many of the workers, english is a second language. Also, many of these low wage workers have not attended legal classes, and do not understand the language of the contract.