why unions numbers declined
✅ Overheard: "No union rep will say it during an organizing campaign. But union representation is below 10% of the workforce. At their peak, unions had control over 30% of US jobs."
An excerpt from “Anticipate!” ©️written by Thornton Mason.
“The decline in union represented jobs is a fact. A few quick numbers: US union representation is falling below 10% of the workforce (Bureau of Labor Statistics, September, 2022). At their peak, unions had control over 30% of the jobs in our country. Why the decline happened:
Changing Economy: Economic shifts led to reduced bargaining power for unions, as companies cut costs during downturns. Unions have not been able honor their “more, more, more” promises without risking member job losses.
Technological Advancements: Automation and technological advancements have created new work that unions seem unwilling to underwrite. Instead, unions are choosing to stick to traditional lines of work that are declining in numbers.
Anti-union sentiment: As union organizing tactics and disclosed financial extravagances became public, distrust of unions began to exceed distrust of company executives. Super large work stoppages that damaged far more than the targeted employer did not sit well with struggling families. Most people feel “unrelated” to the labor strife of the day, and have precious little money in their home budgets to spend on someone else’s agenda. However, recent support for unions is polling higher than recent years as large concessions from employers have yielded better pay and benefits.
Workforce Composition: The growth of the service sector and the gig economy has led to a more diverse and fragmented workforce, making it challenging and expensive for unions to organize. The pandemic-driven remote work option has rekindled a strong sense of employee individualism - and a declining sense of reliance upon collective thinking.
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It's important to note that the past decline in union representation is a complex, multifaceted and changing circumstance. The compelling point is that unions - as a big business - are in a ragged state of lost revenues, uncertain public relations, rigid unadaptable behavior, and are only now beginning to offer any relevant ideas on how to help employees in the 21st century.”
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