Union membership in Massachusetts fell by approximately 5,000 workers in 2012, or two-tenths of a percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
The Bay State had a union membership rate of 14.4 percent in 2012, down from 14.6 percent in 2011.
The national average stands at 11.3 percent, or 14.4 million workers. That’s down from 11.8 percent in 2011.
Union membership has been falling across the country for years. In 1983, the membership rate was 20.1 percent and there were 17.7 million workers, the BLS said.
Across the country, 35.9 percent of public sector workers were union members in 2012, compared to just 6.6 percent for private sector workers.
ADVERTISEMENT
Image credit: freedigitalphotos
