Sisters Under the Skin: Diversity of Women & Labor in Hawai’i

Abstract

Given this age of temperature checks, one of the most important indicators of the health of Hawai‘i’s workers and economy can be found on the “union density” webpage at the Center for Labor Education and Research website 1. The table on this site provides longitudinal data on union density in Hawai’i over the past 20 years. Hawai’i has remained in the top three. How does the public benefit from high union density? Civil service employees represent the largest number of unionized workers in the state and provide key services to public schools, parks, hospitals and roads. In addition, unions reduce wage inequality, set pay standards for non-union employers, and provide important benefits like sick leave and health insurance; which is a public health issue in a pandemic.