Labor unions represent a wide spectrum of employees in Indiana and around the country.
Trade unions are an important part of the American occupational landscape. Unions were originally created to protect workers from unsafe and hazardous working environments. Due to the existence of governmental occupational safety agencies such as OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and MSHA (Mine Safety and Health Administration), unions have taken on a different role of advocating for improved benefits and wages for its members. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 279,000, or 10.9 percent of the workforce, Indiana employees are members of a union.
Public Sector Unions
Public sector unions enjoy the largest membership of any other type of union in the country and the same holds true for Indiana. According to the Cato Institute, 27 percent of government employees in Indiana are members of some type of public sector government employee union. Examples of public sector unions in Indiana are the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the Indiana State Teachers Association, an affiliation of the National Education Association.
Building and Construction Unions
There are a number of unions that represent workers in the building and construction trades in Indiana. The Indiana State Building and Construction Trades Council is an umbrella organization that represents the different types of building and construction trades in the state. Over 75,000 workers are members of the unions that comprise the Indiana State Building and Construction Trades Council. Examples of a building and construction union in Indiana are the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers of Indiana/Kentucky, the Indiana/Kentucky Regional Council of Carpenters and the Indiana State Pipe Trades Association.
Transportation Unions
Transportation unions represent workers who work in occupations that move people or cargo. Transportation unions are present in industries such as trucking, mass transit, airlines and railroads. While no reliable figures on the number of workers who are members of transportation unions in Indiana are readily available, examples of such unions include the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers in Indiana, the Amalgated Transit Union and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.
Other Types of Unions
Many people are familiar with the names of popular labor unions such as Teamsters, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the National Education Association. However, in Indiana, there are other unions that are not as popular as these. The American Federation of Musicians is a labor union in Indiana that represents the interests of musicians. The International Union of Elevator Constructors is dedicated solely to representing the interest of workers employed in the elevator industry. Virtually any type of industry in Indiana has a union; however, some unions, as shown above, are much more powerful than others.
