Unionised employees have a better work-life balance

Employees working in unionised work places are more likely to benefit from family friendly practices that promote a healthy work-life balance and are better than the statutory minimum, according to UCL-led research. Professor Alex Bryson (UCL Institute of Education) and John Forth from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) undertook the research for the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to evaluate the benefits that unions provide. The researchers found that employers with unions are more likely to implement work-life balance practices, over and above those they are required to do by law. In addition, there are twice as many work-life practices such as working from home or financial help with childcare in unionised workplaces compared to non-unionised workplaces. The research also shows that the presence of a union recognised for bargaining significantly reduces the incidence of long-hours working (over 48 hours per week) and employees' perception of a long-hours culture, as indicated by the belief that one has to work long hours to progress at work. The presence of a recognised union also reduces the likelihood that the employer thinks it is the employee's responsibility to balance work and family life. "Employees in unionised settings appear to experience a better work-life balance and have more family friendly practices available to them compared with similar employees in the non-union sector.