In 2024, 16.0 million workers in the United States were represented by a union. This was 11.1%—more than one in ten—of all wage and salary workers. However, that 16.0 million was a drop of 170,000 from 2023, and the 11.1% unionization rate was a tick down from 11.2%.
The overall unionization numbers mask large differences in unionization by sector. For example, unionization is much higher in the public sector than the private sector. In 2024, 35.7% of public-sector workers were covered by a union contract (down from 36.0% in 2023), compared with 6.7% of private-sector workers (down from 6.9%). The public-sector declines were entirely among state and local government workers; the unionization rate among federal government workers rose by 0.9 percentage points. Within the private sector, there were particularly large movements in manufacturing, which saw a net decline in unionization of 109,000, and private education and health services, which saw a net increase of 70,000.
Read the full report
16 million workers were unionized in 2024
Economic Policy Institute | Jan 2025
Press Release: UNION MEMBERS -- 2024
HTML with tables
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Articles
This year’s report showed that union membership as a percentage of the workforce declined by one-tenth of a point from 10% to 9.9%, the lowest percentage on record. The 2024 numbers illustrate a further, albeit minor, decline from 2023, when the union membership rate also dropped from 10.1% to 10% of the workforce, notwithstanding the “most pro-union” occupant of the White House ever for the last four years.
Union Membership Reaches Another Record Low in 2024
U.S. Chamber of Commerce | Jan 2025
Notwithstanding many big labor headlines in recent years – the Starbucks campaign, the UAW strikes and favorable labor agreements at the Big 3, etc. – the 2024 data overall wasn’t good news for unions. Indeed, their numbers on a percentage basis of the American workforce have dropped, again, to historic lows.
Unions By the Numbers: 2025 Edition
Barnes & Thornburg | Jan 2025
The notion of stagnation in overall union membership was challenged by the labor group the AFL-CIO. In a statement, its president Liz Shuler said the numbers of union elections had doubled since 2021, with 1,800 coming last year. "Many of these victories are not reflected in the numbers released today because employers are exploiting a broken system to delay bargaining a first contract," Shuler said.
US labor union membership slips in 2024 to record low
Reuters | Jan 2025
SHRM Ask An Advisor
Get expert help on a wide range of HR topics. Access experienced, certified HR Knowledge Advisors by phone, chat & email
Connect with An Advisor now: https://www.shrm.org/hrhelp
SHRM Members' Survey
Tell us what you think about the Express Request self-service feature in a few quick questions.
An organization run by AI is not a futuristic concept. Such technology is already a part of many workplaces and will continue to shape the labor market and HR. Here's how employers and employees can successfully manage generative AI and other AI-powered systems.
Related Content
HR must always include human intelligence and oversight of AI in decision-making in hiring and firing, a legal expert said at SHRM24. She added that HR can ensure compliance by meeting the strictest AI standards, which will be in Colorado’s upcoming AI law.
The proliferation of artificial intelligence in the workplace, and the ensuing expected increase in productivity and efficiency, could help usher in the four-day workweek, some experts predict.
Learn how Marsh McLennan successfully boosts staff well-being with digital tools, improving productivity and work satisfaction for more than 20,000 employees.