Study: American workers in labor unions has fallen from nearly 35% in 1954 to just 10.5% in 2018
The decline of labor unions in America has been a significant trend over the past 35 years. According to a 2018 Pew Research Center survey, the decline in unionization has been mostly bad for working people, with 51% of Americans agreeing with this statement. The share of American workers who belong to labor unions has fallen by about half over the past 35 years, from nearly 35% in 1954 to just 10.5% in 2018. This decline has been attributed to a variety of factors, including changes in the economy, globalization, and anti-union policies.
One of the main reasons for the decline in union membership is the changing nature of the American economy. The shift from manufacturing to service-sector jobs has made it more difficult for unions to organize workers. Service-sector jobs tend to be more fragmented and less centralized than manufacturing jobs, making it harder for unions to organize workers across different companies and industries Additionally, globalization has made it easier for companies to move jobs overseas, where labor is cheaper and unions are less prevalent. This has put downward pressure on wages and working conditions in the United States, making it harder for unions to attract new members