Unionized Direct Care Workers Have Lower Turnover Rates, Study Finds

Turnover rates among direct care workers (DCWs) were 7.6 percentage points lower for workers covered by union contracts compared to nonunionized workers, according to a recent study. The overall DCW turnover rate was 40.0%. Turnover among unionized workers was 37.4%, compared to 45.0% among nonunionized workers.

The study analyzed data from 18,175 direct care workers—including home health aides, certified nursing assistants, and personal care aides—using the 2009–2024 Current Population Survey.

Lower turnover rates among unionized workers were observed across employer types:

At non-profit organizations, turnover was 33.6% for unionized workers . . .