AFL-CIO’s Post

This is encouraging for mid class people. Holding big business accountable to its employees is a good way to grow your business. It's apparent that happy workers tend to produce more. Learn this lesson and prosper.

Unions commanded big headlines last year, but that didn’t translate into higher membership rates, according to government data released Tuesday. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said 10% of hourly and salaried workers were members of unions in 2023, or around 14.4 million people. That is an all-time low, down from 10.1% of workers in 2022. The number of unionized workers in the private sector increased by 191,000 to 7.4 million last year. That includes workers at auto companies, Las Vegas hotels and Hollywood studios, all of whom went through high-profile contract negotiations in 2023. But the percent of unionized workers in the private sector – 6% -- remained unchanged from the previous year, as unionization rates didn’t keep pace with overall hiring. The unionization rate for public-sector employees, including government workers, teachers and police, was far higher, at 32.5%. But that sector didn’t see as much growth in employment. About 7 million public-sector workers were union members in 2023, which was unchanged from the year before.

In an uplifting update from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the AFL-CIO, union membership experienced a notable rise in 2023, with the BLS reporting an overall increase of 139,000 members in union ranks. This growth reflects a broader trend of workers across different industries and sectors advocating for better wages, better benefits, and safer, fairer workplaces. Union membership in the private sector increased by 191,000 members, with a majority of new members under the age of 45. The surge in union membership can be attributed to successful negotiations that led to double-digit wage increases for more than 900,000 union members last year. AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler highlighted the growing frustration among workers with substandard working conditions and the escalating momentum toward unionization, despite ongoing challenges from union-busting efforts by major corporations. https://lnkd.in/ebRWgPYt Polling data shows that 71% of Americans support unions, the highest level in nearly 60 years, with 88% of young people showing support for unions. The push for unionization is making strides despite significant opposition, including extensive spending on union-busting tactics by corporations and targeted campaigns from CEOs. As aviation safety professionals and part of the labor movement, our collective strength is growing as part of a national movement towards greater worker representation and bargaining power. This progress signals a promising future for labor rights and underscores the critical role of NATCA and fellow unions in advocating for fair and dignified working conditions.

Charted: American Jobs With the Highest Union Membership https://ift.tt/JMQz0pe See this visualization first on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization American Jobs With the Highest Union Membership in 2023 This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources. In 1983, one-in-five American adults (20%) were in a union. By 2023, only one-in-ten (10%) were in a union, a record low for the country. However, there are still some industries that see rates of union membership that are on the higher end of the spectrum. This chart shows the rate of union membership of those employed per industry in America. Data for this graphic is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for 2023. Government Workers are Often in Unions Two out of five local government employees are in a union, the highest rate across American industries, as classified by the BLS. A significant portion of these employees are police officers, as protective services have some of the highest union rates (32%) by occupation. Industry Membership Rate Union Members Local Government 38% 3.9M State Government 29% 2.1M Federal Government 25% 1.0M Utilities 20% 224K Transport & Warehousing 16% 1.0M Education 13% 666K Film & Sound 12% 47K Construction 11% 954K Broadcasting* 10% 26K Telecommunications 9% 83K *Excluding the internet. Figures rounded. Meanwhile, the utilities sector (energy, water supply, sewage removal) has the highest union membership in the private sector (20%) though this works out to about 200,000 members. About 16% of the transport and warehousing industry—one million strong—belongs to a union. Since 2022, workers at Amazon warehouses in particular have organized into the Amazon Labor Union to protest unsafe working conditions. Across the top 10 sectors by union membership rate, union employees out-earn non-union employees in eight of them. The wage difference is most noticeable in film & sound jobs, where a union employee makes nearly $1,000 dollars more per week. Industry Union Median Weekly Wage Non-Union Median Weekly Wage Local Government $1,357 $1,074 State Government $1,291 $1,123 Federal Government $1,393 $1,526 Utilities $1,686 $1,544 Transport & Warehousing $1,262 $966 Education $1,329 $1,168 Film & Sound $2,276 $1,300 Construction $1,424 $1,007 Broadcasting* N/A N/A Telecommunications $1,397 $1,473 *Excluding the internet. Figures rounded. Wage data available here. On the other end of the scale, professional jobs—accounting, legal, tech, and finance—have the lowest rates of union membership (1%). And in them, non-union members out-earn their union peers. More From Visual Capitalist If you liked this article, check out Visualizing the American Workforce as 100 People for quick insight into the most common jobs people...

repost: AFL-CIO Today the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its annual report on union density. The report shows that union membership grew by 139,000 in 2023. Union membership in the private sector increased by 191,000 members, with a majority of new members under the age of 45. These numbers are a result of how more than 900,000 union members won double-digit wage increases through new contracts last year. AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler released the following statement in response to the report: Workers are fed up with low wages, few benefits, and a lack of dignity and respect on the job, which is precisely why more are interested in joining a union now than ever before. Although union density remained flat in 2023, that doesn’t reflect the surging momentum that working people have carried into this year. Waves of workers across industries and geography are joining unions despite vicious union-busting campaigns by large corporations. Polling data shows that 71% of Americans support unions, the highest level in nearly 60 years, with 88% of young people showing support for unions. And as the BLS numbers show, the union difference in wages remains strong, driving increased interest among workers to have a voice on the job. Every worker who wants to join a union should be able to without facing intimidation and harassment from their employer. Corporations spend more than $400 million per year on union-busting consultants to stop worker organizing, and corporate leaders like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos—themselves hoarding billions of dollars—have made it their mission in life to stop their own employees from having a voice at the workplace. The labor movement is more focused and committed than ever on ensuring that every worker who wants a union has a fair shot at joining one. Organizing is happening at a rate not seen in generations, and new federal investments by the Biden administration in emerging sectors of the economy creates more opportunity for workers to attain good union jobs. The AFL-CIO’s Center for Transformational Organizing has become a hub for multiunion organizing strategy and investment in the clean energy and technology sectors as new jobs emerge over the next several years catalyzed by these federal funds. Working people are on the rise, and the progress we’re seeing now is just the beginning. #unionstrong #membership #support #educate #promote #aflcio

Summary: The recent surge in labor actions has not translated into higher unionization rates in the latest government data. Despite workers’ desire for unions, their efforts to organize are being undermined by a broken system that has failed them. Key findings In 2023, 16.2 million workers were represented by a union—an increase of 191,000. At the same time, the percentage of workers represented by a union decreased from 11.3% to 11.2%, as unionization efforts were unable to keep pace with 2023’s strong job growth.  By sector, private-sector unionization rose to 6.9% in 2023, while public-sector unionization declined to 36.0%.  Unionization among workers of color accounted for the entire increase in the union level in 2023, and Black workers had the highest unionization rate at 13.1%. Unionization among workers younger than 45 grew by 229,000 in 2023, while unionization declined by 38,000 among workers age 45 and over.  These statistics don’t capture the number of workers who want to join unions. Evidence suggests that in 2023, more than 60 million workers wanted to join a union but couldn’t do so.

State and local government employees earned, on average, 17.6% less ⬇️ than similarly educated private-sector employees, according to new research from EPI's Monique Morrissey and Jennifer Sherer. But unions help shrink this gap. Nationally, the public-sector pay gap has widened ↔️ since the pandemic. Why does this matter? Because schools, hospitals, & other public employers are having trouble hiring for essential services. This causes staffing shortages that negatively impact our communities 🏙️ But ✨ unions✨ help close the public-sector pay gap. In states with strong bargaining rights, the gap was 💥 5-8 percentage points less 💥 than in states with weak or no bargaining rights. Unfortunately, public employees have been excluded from federal labor law, which means their collective bargaining rights vary greatly from state to state. And in recent years, many state legislatures have attacked public employees and their unions Congress needs to pass the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act to ensure that state and local government workers across the country have the right to bargain collectively over pay and working conditions ✊🏿 ✊🏾 ✊🏼 Tl;dr: 1. State and local gov't workers are underpaid compared to private-sector peers 2. This pay gap has widened in the last four years 3. Unions help close this gap 4. Congress should pass the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act https://lnkd.in/gWGnH7wF

WASHINGTON January 23, 2024. Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su issued the following statement in response to the Bureau of Labor Statistics release of its annual Union Membership data: “The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported an increase in union membership, with 139,000 more union members in 2023 than in 2022, meaning this country has 400,000 more union workers than we had in 2021. The gains under the Biden-Harris administration underscore President Biden’s commitment to being the most pro-worker, pro-union president in history. We have seen large private sector increases in unionization among health care workers, transportation and warehousing workers, and in educational services. These are workers who recognize that they have power and are organizing to use that power. Workers in health care, auto manufacturing, transportation, entertainment and more have delivered big wins at the bargaining table in the past year. It is also important to acknowledge that public support for unions is the highest we have seen since the 1960s. More than two thirds of wage and salary workers say they would consider joining a union." All the more reason for human resources to focus on EX, Employee Experience, which includes the journey an employee takes with your organization. It includes every interaction that happens along the employee life cycle, plus the experiences that involve an employee's role, workspace, manager, and wellbeing. A great start is to map the journey and the thinking-as this will give you insight into needs anticipation and ways to deepen the relationship and the employee's professional development. Invite a new hire and tenured hire or two to help with accuracy. You do this from their perspective, not the company's and you learn about things you do not know! #humanresources #shrm #hr #hrinnovation #business #operations

What if what you've heard about unions is only part of the story? 👉 Don't miss out. Click here- https://lnkd.in/e4turgRw CHAPTERS 00:00 - Unions: Paychecks or Job Loss? 01:19 - Decline of Unions 02:34 - Union Benefits vs. Criticism 04:33 - Power in Numbers 05:34 - The CEO Pay Gap 06:33 - Anti-Union Narratives 07:05 - Personal Insights on Unions 08:56 - Cost of Living and Wages 10:09 - Union Dues Explained 11:27 - Amazon and Worker Leverage 12:28 - Costco: A Union Success Story 12:38 - Shocking Wage Stagnation Revealed 14:27 - Future Without Unions VIDEOS to WATCH NEXT Let’s Talk: Insights That Make You Think - https://lnkd.in/ebxckjmA Life Hacks From the Cockpit - https://lnkd.in/eXFbinws How to Make Good Choices and Not be Misled - https://lnkd.in/ekk_75Kp Get Out of Debt Help, Financial Advice & Other Topics to Succeed with Money: https://lnkd.in/e_GVmFm9 STEVE'S REFERENCE GUIDE Union Membership Decline and Wage Stagnation: In the 1970s, 25% of American workers were unionized. Today, it's only 10%, with about 6% in the private sector. From 1973 to 2020, worker productivity grew by 77%, but wages increased by only 12%, reflecting a stagnation closely tied to the decline in union power. Source: Economic Policy Institute, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CEO-to-Worker Pay Gap in Union vs. Non-Union Companies: In non-unionized companies, the CEO-to-worker pay ratio has grown to 300-400 times the average worker's salary. In unionized companies, this gap is smaller due to collective bargaining, which pressures companies to distribute income more equitably. Source: Economic Policy Institute, AFL-CIO Executive Paywatch Report Union Labor Costs and Flexibility: Unions can raise labor costs, which may lead to job cuts or price increases. Union contracts can also limit a company's flexibility with strict work rules and seniority-based promotions, which critics say makes it harder for businesses to adapt to market changes. Source: Heritage Foundation, Center for Union Facts Anti-Union Messaging by Large Corporations: Companies like Walmart and Amazon have spent millions on anti-union campaigns. These campaigns often include training videos, corporate presentations, and messaging that discourages workers from organizing. Managers are also trained to identify and suppress union activity. Source: Bloomberg, Reuters Union Dues and Worker Benefits: Union dues are often criticized by workers who feel they’re paying for something they don’t want. However, these dues fund negotiations for better wages, benefits, and legal protections. Even non-union workers benefit from standards set by unions. Source: U.S. Department of Labor, AFL-CIO Costco’s Partnership with Unions: Costco has successfully partnered with the Teamsters

What are your thoughts on Unions in today's economy? The unionization rate dropped to a new low in 2023 Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Chart: Axios Visuals The share of American workers who are members of a union hit a new low in 2023 — it's now 1 in 10 — though the total number of unionized employees rose slightly. Why it matters: Advocates say unions are a needed proponent of worker rights and compensation, while critics say unions throttle progress in the workplace. Driving the news: 10% of the workforce was part of a union in 2023, down from 10.1% in 2022 and a high of 20.1% in 1983, the first year the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported comparable figures. 14.4 million workers were union members in 2023, up from 14.3 million in 2022 — but the percentage fell because the workforce grew faster than union membership. The big picture: The slight drop in the union membership rate came during a year of significant action for Big Labor, including: The UAW scored record contracts from General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis after an unprecedented strike. The Teamsters won concessions from UPS without a strike. Actors and writers unions getting new deals from Hollywood after bruising work stoppages. Context: The drop also came despite the approval of unions in 2022 reaching its highest point since 1965, according to Gallup. Zoom in: 32.5% of public-sector workers were members of unions in 2023, compared with 6% of private workers. Men were more likely to be members of a union than women and Black workers were more likely to be members of a union than white, Asian, or Hispanic workers. #labor #union #rights