A Long Slide in Union Membership (except in government)

New York Times ^ | February 13, 2010 | Phyllis Korkki

[reaganaut1]

Some might say it’s a good thing, others might say the opposite, but there’s no denying that union membership is declining in the United States.

Last year, 12.3 percent of wage and salary workers were union members, compared with 20.1 percent in 1983, the first year for which the federal government compiled comparable data. A greater share of public- than private-sector workers belong to unions. Last year local government workers — like teachers, police officers and firefighters — had the highest rate of public sector membership, at 43.3 percent.

The figures show a gender differential. More men (13.3 percent) are union members than women (11.3 percent). But from 1983 to 2009, union membership for men dropped 11.4 percentage points, while for women it fell 3.3 points.

Geographic differences exist, with Pacific and mid-Atlantic states having higher membership rates. New York has the highest percentage of union members, at 25.2 percent;

[reaganaut1]

According to the NYT graphic, the number of union members, in millions, are

public: 4.9 local government, 2.0 state government, 1.0 federal government

private: 1.7 education/health, 1.5 manufacturing, etc.

I wonder how many of the 1.7 million unionized workers in education and health care are really working in the private sector.

[Glenn]

Follow the contributions.

[jazzlite]

Yes..The SEIU practically has a cabinet post in the Obama administration. It is a dangerous thing.

[ComputerGuy]

New York has the highest percentage of union members, at 25.2 percent; North Carolina, at 3.1 percent, has the lowest.

Well, at least we're doing someting right in NC.

[major-pelham]

Unionism in the public sector is not sustainable. It is nearly impossible to deal with SEIU or NEA on a national level. Local and state govt. will never be able to stand up to it. Pensions, benefits, wages etc. will soar at multiples to private sector equivalents forever. Back in the day, folks traded income for security by working in the public sector but no more. This needs to be slowed, then stopped, then reversed.

[laconic]

Disagree; Governor Christie of NJ is standing up to it. The more successful people have been fleeing the state in droves as taxes rise to pay, largely, unsustainable state union employee pensions. There simply is no choice - as he puts it, you cannot pay someone $ 1.2 million in lifetime pension benefits when they’ve only cntributed $ 62,000 to the pension program in their entire working carerr.

[Red_Devil 232]

You need to see this thread. It is posted a couple of threads above this one.

Central Falls Rhode Island Fires Every High School Teacher

[raybbr]

Can’t forget the police, fireman and teachers unions. Their pensions alone will bankrupt America.

[Kanzan]

Something’s up in Kansas with the new ad campaign against private (but not public) daycare. I sniff SEIU in the mix.