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Compensation costs for union workers averaged $55.57 in June 2023

November 03, 2023

In June 2023, private industry employer compensation costs averaged $55.57 per hour worked for union employees. Wages and salaries for union workers averaged $33.55 per hour worked, while benefits averaged $22.02. Compensation costs for union workers in the retail trade industry averaged $27.08, including $17.22 for wages and salaries and $9.86 for benefits. Compensation costs for union workers in the transportation and warehousing industry averaged $65.03, including $40.46 for wages and salaries and $24.57 for benefits.
Employer Cost for Employee Compensation, union workers, by industry, June 2023
Industry All union workers Goods-producing Manufacturing Service-providing Retail trade Health care and social assistance Education and health services Transportation and warehousing

Total compensation

 55.57 55.33 47.25 55.69 27.08 64.35 64.60 65.03

Supplemental pay

 2.19 2.80 3.29 1.87 0.68 2.55 2.36 2.22 17.96

Legally required

 4.08 4.30 3.45 3.97 2.19 4.43 4.43 4.58 31.43

Paid leave

 3.95 2.97 3.26 4.46 1.59 6.01 5.95 5.07 33.26

Retirement and savings

 4.78 5.32 3.15 4.50 1.94 4.55 4.57 5.25 34.06

Insurance

 7.02 7.61 7.19 6.72 3.46 7.82 7.82 7.45 55.09

Wages and salaries

 33.55 32.33 26.91 34.17 17.22 38.99 39.47 40.46 263.10

Note: Compensation values shown are U.S. dollars per hour.

Compensation costs for nonunion workers averaged $39.75 per hour worked in June 2023. Wages and salaries for nonunion workers averaged $28.57 per hour worked, while benefits averaged $11.18. Compensation costs for nonunion workers in the retail trade industry averaged $24.51, including $19.01 for wages and salaries and $5.50 for benefits. Compensation costs for nonunion workers in the transportation and warehousing industry averaged $34.63, including $24.27 for wages and salaries and $10.36 for benefits.
Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, non-union workers, by industry, June 2023
Industry All non-union workers Goods-producing Manufacturing Service-providing Retail trade Transportation and warehousing Health care and social assistance Education and health services

Total compensation

 39.75 41.92 43.13 39.37 24.51 34.63 40.84 42.20

Retirement and savings

 1.09 1.25 1.42 1.07 0.34 1.10 1.09 1.24

Supplemental pay

 1.47 1.99 2.18 1.38 0.65 1.11 1.01 0.94

Insurance

 2.66 3.06 3.56 2.59 1.24 2.83 2.88 2.98

Paid leave

 2.97 2.79 3.29 3.00 1.23 2.17 3.60 3.67

Legally required

 2.99 3.42 3.22 2.91 2.04 3.15 2.98 3.05

Wages and salaries

 28.57 29.41 29.46 28.42 19.01 24.27 29.28 30.32

Note: Compensation values shown are U.S. dollars per hour.

These data are from the Employer Cost for Employee Compensation program. For more information on paid leave, insurance, and other benefits see the ECEC Factsheets or the Handbook of Methods. A full data table for the latest ECEC release is available.

SUGGESTED CITATION

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Compensation costs for union workers averaged $55.57 in June 2023 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2023/compensation-costs-for-union-workers-averaged-55-57-in-june-2023.htm (visited March 09, 2026).