Top U.S. Jobs with High Union Membership in 2023

Union membership in America are at an all-time low, with only 10% of adults being part of a union in 2023, down from 20% in 1983. Despite this decline, certain industries still boast high union membership rates, especially in government and public services.

Key Facts:

• Union membership rates have halved since 1983, dropping from 20% to 10% in 2023.

• Government jobs lead the pack in unionization:

  • Local Government: 38% of workers are union members, the highest across all sectors.

  • State Government: 29% membership rate.

  • Federal Government: 25% membership rate.

• Utilities: Highest unionization in the private sector with 20%, representing about 224,000 workers.

• Transport & Warehousing: 16% of the industry, or about 1 million workers, are union members.

Utilities and Transportation

In the private sector, utilities have the highest union membership at 20%, which translates to about 224,000 workers. The transport and warehousing sector, which includes jobs at companies like Amazon, has a 16% unionization rate. This industry has seen recent unionization efforts, particularly at Amazon warehouses, highlighting worker concerns over safety and working conditions.

Union vs. Non-Union Wages

Across the top 10 unionized industries, union workers generally earn more than their non-union counterparts. For the Transport & Warehousing sectors, that difference is $1,262 medium weekly waged for unionized workers and $966 for non-union. A pretty significant gap.

The State of Transport & Warehousing

With roughly 1 million union workers in Transport & Warehousing and a slight increase in pay in weekly wage - $1,262 union vs $966 non-union, the transport and warehousing sector stands out as a key battleground for labor rights. With 1 million workers represented by unions, the industry is increasingly under the spotlight due to high-profile organizing efforts, especially at companies like Amazon. These union drives are driven by concerns over pay, safety, and working conditions, reflecting a broader push for better treatment in one of the country’s most essential industries.

As this sector grows, union influence could play a pivotal role in shaping the future of work in America. It has always been a tricky matter to focus on, whether to unionize or not. The numbers are showing less workers are doing so. Time will tell if these numbers will increase in 2024.

Source: Visual Capitalist