Unions exist to represent the interests of employees. By helping workers organize, unions promote fair wages and safe working conditions. They help workers understand their rights and collectively negotiate with employers for fair treatment. Unions help ensure that companies comply with workplace safety laws by communicating with employers and educating workers.
Unfortunately, simply belonging to a union doesn’t automatically protect a professional from job injuries. Those in unionized industries can still end up hurt on the job. In fact, unions are often more common in high-risk industries because workers truly require the advocacy of a union.
Even experienced unionized workers can get hurt on the job. If they do, they may need support as they pursue workers’ compensation benefits to cover their treatment costs and lost wages.
Hazards vary based on the industry
The most pressing job safety issues are different from one industry to the next. For example, in the construction sector, some of the most pressing concerns for unionized employees include falling from a significant elevation, struck-by incidents and exposure to electricity. Ironworkers, such as those who provide welding services at construction sites, face all of these risks and more.
For those in woodworking careers, the hazards are different. While they may also work on construction sites occasionally, their biggest risks include lacerations, accidental finger amputations and blindness caused by flying debris. Exposure to chemicals, the need to handle dangerous equipment and working near heavy machinery are also all common risk factors in construction and manufacturing-adjacent careers.
There are also certain risk factors that are common regardless of the industry. Slip-and-fall incidents are common across all sectors. Workers in a variety of professions may develop repetitive strain injuries from continually performing the same job functions. Car crashes while on the clock are another leading cause of worker injury and death.
Unionized employees who are familiar with job hazards can use that information for their own protection. Their knowledge can also help them feel confident about pursuing workers’ compensation benefits in the event that they do sustain work-related harm. Filing a benefits claim can help a union worker obtain the workers’ compensation benefits they need until they can return to work.