Charleston, W.V. (AP) -- Pay for union workers in West Virginia is 11.1 percent higher, on average, than for nonunion workers.

That's the finding of a joint study released Thursday by the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, D.C., and the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy in Charleston.

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.

A call to the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce for comment Thursday was not immediately returned.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)