Case study

Why unions matter for justice-impacted people

A one-page case for economic power, community power, and political power. For someone reentering society, these aren’t minor differences — they are life-changing.

Unions are the most powerful engine of economic mobility

For justice-impacted people, a union job is not just employment — it’s stability, dignity, and a real shot at rebuilding a life. The data is undeniable:

PayUnion workers earn more: ~$1,337/week vs. $1,138/week — nearly $10,000 more per year.
Health95% of union workers have employer-provided health insurance vs. 71% of non-union workers.
Retirement95% of union members have retirement benefits; 64% have pensions (vs. just 10% of non-union workers).
Sick leaveOver 90% of union workers can take sick time without risking their job (vs. ~79% of non-union workers).
CommunityUnions offer mentorship, peer networks, training, and ongoing support that help people climb and stay stable.

Unions are a trustworthy institution — unlike politics

Justice-impacted people trust unions far more than they trust politicians or political institutions.

~70%Union favorability (Gallup 2024)

~16%Trust in Congress

10–15%Union households more likely to vote

<3%Margins unions helped decide in MI, PA, WI (2022)

Trust matters because trust drives action. When a union calls, people listen. When a union asks members to vote, they show up.

Union households are 10–15% more likely to vote in every election. In 2024, 56% supported Harris. Union turnout helped Democrats win Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin in 2022 — all by under 3%.

For the justice-impacted community — which distrusts both parties — unions serve as one of the only institutions seen as credible, consistent, and on their side.

The best ROI in politics — especially for justice-impacted voters

Not all votes cost the same to secure:

$200–$370to flip a vote through persuasion
$100–$300to register and turn out a new non-union voter
$25–$50per union vote through GOTV partnerships

Union infrastructure dramatically lowers the cost of winning elections — and increases turnout from communities that historically sit out.

For justice-impacted people, pairing opportunity with civic engagement is the formula that works:

Stability Belonging Power Participation

A political force multiplier

Twenty million justice-impacted Americans can vote today.

Mobilizing just 2% of them in four battleground states would have flipped the 2024 presidential election.

Their civic influence extends far beyond individual turnout. One justice-impacted person influences 3–8× the number of friends, family, and peers — a network of 60–160 million people whose political engagement can be shaped.

Unions are the fastest, most credible way to engage this untapped electorate — the very electorate that decides governors, Congress, and the presidency.

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