U.S. union membership rates dipped slightly last year, despite some high-profile strikes and increased union drives.
Ten percent of American workers were union members in 2023, compared to 10.1 percent in 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That number is down from 20.1 percent in 1983. There are 14.4 million union members in the U.S.
The union membership rate of public-sector workers (32.5 percent) continued to be more than five times that of private-sector workers (6 percent), the BLS reported.
“Union membership is at best stagnant. To reverse decades of decline, unions need to connect on a more personal basis to generate trust and understanding with prospective members,” said Michael Lotito, an attorney with Littler in San Francisco. “This goes beyond social media outreaches. It means connecting with people on a personal basis.”
The highest union membership rates in 2023 were among teachers, librarians, postal workers, firefighters, police officers and other protective service workers. The lowest were in sales; food preparation and food service; and computer and mathematical fields. Men had a slightly higher unionization rate than women, and Black workers had higher unionization rates than white, Hispanic and Asian American workers, the BLS reported.
Among full-time workers, union members had median weekly earnings of $1,263 in 2023, while nonunion workers had median weekly earnings of $1,090. This pay discrepancy is partly due to union...
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