Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Union numbers up slightly in 2008

The number of union members in 2008 rose slightly when compared with 2007, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

There were slightly more than 16 million labor union members last year, up roughly 428,000 workers. The private sector saw a .1 percent increase while the public sector went up nearly a full percentage point.

That's good news as more Americans are seeing the benefits of joining together during hard economic times. Union density went up from 12.1 percent of the workforce to 12.4 percent.

And in hard economic times, being a union member remains the best way to protect your wages: The median weekly wage for all union members went up from $863 in 2007 to $886. Nonunion workers saw an increase as well, but their median average wage went up from $663 to $691.

It's the second consecutive year that labor union membership has grown and the largest increase in more than 20 years, but millions of workers are still being denied their legal rights to collectively bargain for a better future. Studies show many more people would join unions if not for employer intimidation.

The Employee Free Choice Act, which is supported by a bipartisan majority in Congress and President Obama, would level the playing field between big business and workers in union representation elections. The measure is expected to be voted on this year.