Unions have a positive impact on employees' access to family leave, paid sick days, child care benefits and other family-friendly workplace policies, according to a new report from the University of California at Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education and the Berkeley-based Labor Project for Working Families.

The report, entitled Family-Friendly Workplaces: Do Unions Make a Difference?, was co-authored by Jenifer MacGillvary and Netsy Firestein. They reviewed the research literature on family-friendly workplaces to determine if there are differences in the ways in which union and non-union workplaces assist employees in achieving a healthy balance between work life and home life.

According to the report, research suggests that unionization is associated with more family-friendly workplace policies. For example:

• Unionization promotes compliance with the Family and Medical Leave Act. Unionized employees are more likely to have heard of the Family and Medical Leave Act, have fewer worries about taking leave, and are more likely to receive fully paid and partially paid leaves.

• 46% of unionized workers receive full pay while on leave compared to 29% of non-unionized workers

• Unionized workers are 50% more likely than non-unionized workers to have paid personal leave that can be used to care for sick children.

• Companies with 30% or more unionized workers are five times more likely than companies with no unionized workers to pay the entire family health insurance premium.

To read the full report click here.