The president of the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce says the state must do everything it can to create more manufacturing and mining jobs -- the only two sectors in West Virginia that pay above the national average.



Steve Roberts also says those industries, along with construction, are more likely to have unions than other industries.

A study released yesterday by the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, D.C., and the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy in Charleston shows that union workers in the state make about 11 percent more than nonunion workers.

The study, called "The Union Advantage for Low-Wage Workers," found that union membership made an even bigger difference for low-wage workers, giving them an estimated 15.8 percent more than their nonunion counterparts.

Unionized workers also are more likely to receive paid leave, health insurance or an employer-provided pension plan.

On the Net:

Center for Economic and Policy Research: www.cepr.net

West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy: www.wvpolicy.org

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