The share of American workers belonging to a labor union fell last year to an all-time low with some of the biggest declines for organized labor coming across the traditionally nonunion South.
Despite an increase in union strength the previous two years and ongoing organizing campaigns in the South by the United Auto Workers and other labor unions, the number of workers in Tennessee and Georgia saying they are part of a labor union fell by 67,000 people during 2014, according to a new government estimate. Both states are among those with the lowest share of workers belonging to a union.
“Obviously, the trend across the country has been for a decline in unions for some time, but we’re far from dead as some people would like you to believe,” said Gary Moore, a former firefighter and state legislator who is president of the AFL-CIO of Tennessee.
States with most membership decline
Southern states had the biggest drop in the percentage of workers belonging to labor unions in 2014 1. South Carolina, 40.6 percent decline to 41,000 members 2. North Carolina, 35 percent decline to 117,000 members 3. Oklahoma, 21.9 percent decline to 89,000 members 4. Georgia, 18.7 percent decline to 170,000 members 5. Tennessee, 18.1 percent decline to 127,000 members Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics States with lowest union membership Southern states also have the lowest share of workers who belong to labor unions. 1. North Carolina, 1.9 percent 2. South Carolina, 2.2 percent 3. Mississippi, 3.7 percent 4. Utah, 3.7 percent 5. Georgia, 4.3 percent 6. Arkansas, 4.7 percent 7. Texas, 4.8 percent 8. Virginia, 4.9 percent 9.Tennessee, 5.0 percent 10. North Dakota, 5.0 percent Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics By the numbers 11.2 Percent of American workers who belonged to a union in 2014, down from 11.4 percent in 2013 14.6 million Number of Americans who were in a labor union in 2014 $970 Average weekly earnings of union members in 2014, 21 percent more than the $763 average for nonunion workers in 2014 35.7 Percent of public sector workers belonging to a labor union nationwide, or 7.2 million workers 6.6 Percent of private sector workers belonging to a labor union nationwide, or 7.4 million workers 11.7 Percent of men belonging to unions, compared with 10.5 percent for women Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistic
“In our state, a lot of our membership fluctuations stem from plant openings and plant closings at unionized companies,” he said. “But we’re still actively organizing workers across Tennessee and having some successes — and unfortunately also facing challenges to representing some workers.”