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About 11.3 percent of the workforce, or 14.4 million workers, belonged to a union in 2012, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Wednesday. That’s down from 11.8 percent of the workforce, or 14.8 million workers, in 2011.
The American union labor movement has struggled for years with declining membership and increasing attacks from those who oppose organized labor. In December, Michigan – once considered a stronghold of American union power - became the 24th state to approve right-to-work legislation. That type of legislation makes it harder for unions to maintain power because union-covered members are no longer required to pay dues.
Many experts say the move in Michigan could embolden more states to pass similar legislation, further threatening the nation’s once-strong labor union movement.
The data released Wednesday also reinforced the changing face of the American labor movement. While most Americans think of union members as manufacturing workers wearing hard hats, these days union membership is actually more common among public-sector workers such as teachers, firefighters and police officers.
Still, both sectors saw their union membership ranks shrink last year.
About 7.3 million public-sector workers belonged to a union in 2012, the BLS reported, down from about 7.6 million in 2011.
About 7.0 million private-sector workers belonged to a union in 2011, down from 7.2 million a year earlier.
Related:
Teachers, other government workers, become growing face of union fights
Michigan's right-to-work laws will ripple across U.S.
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Sucks we're losing union membership and eventually unions. Won't be able to get those satin union windbreakers anymore.
Without unions, a lot more workers will join poverty instead, with all the low wage jobs waiting for everyone.
Statistics just out.....1/3rd of the US population is at near poverty levels or in poverty. ONE-THIRD of the USA, land of the free, population. In America! This is a disgrace and it is due in large part to the dismantling of unions by corporate greed and those that parrot their corporate propaganda because they are too ignorant to know anything else. Corporate profits at all time highs even through the recession yet American worker production exceeds any other worker in the world by 21/2 times. People working for non-living wages. It is a damn shame on this country.
Union history: racist, communist, socialist, violent, criminal, missing pensions. Don't take my word; do your own research.
As the membership shrinks, business will return to the USA.
Did you hear the part about subsidizing Chinese union worker wages with US workers' dues and deductions? Gotta love the mafia, I mean, unions.
Another corporate parrot. How much they pay ya?
Unions have outlived their usefullness, they are nothing more than another business, they are just like politicians, not concerned with YOU, but concerned with maintaining their power. All states should have right to work laws, no one should be required to join a union, no one should be required to pay negotiating fees.
Progress!
Yep. If we can just get rid of unions, American companies will bring all those jobs back from China and Bangladesh.
All we have to do is work 7 days a week, 12 hours a day for 50 cents an hour , with no overtime, no breaks, no holidays, no vacation, no health insurance, no safety standards.
Happy days are here again.