A new report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research documents a large wage and benefit advantage for women workers in unions relative to their non-union counterparts.

The report found that unionized women workers earned, on average, 11.2 percent more than their non-union peers. In addition, women in unions were much more likely to have health insurance benefits and a pension plan.

“For women, joining a union makes as much sense as going to college,” said John Schmitt, a senior economist at CEPR and the author of the study. “All else equal, joining a union raises a woman’s wage as much as a full-year of college, and a union raises the chances a woman has health insurance by more than earning a four-year college degree.”

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The public is invited to share any problems they encountered while registering or voting in the recent election in front of a panel of county election officials, council members, legislators and voting rights advocates. Data collected at the forums will be used to help shape voting reforms so that future elections will run more smoothly. Speakers will be allotted three minutes each. For more information, call the SC Progressive Network at 803-808-3384 or e-mail network@scpronet.com.

Town Hall Meetings

Columbia: Dec. 4, 5:30-7pm, Council Chambers, 2020 Hampton St.

Charleston: Dec. 9, 5:30-7pm, Charleston City Council Chambers, 4900 LaCross Rd.

Voters wait up to four hours to vote absentee in Richland County on Oct. 31. For more photos, click here.