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Has union membership been on the decline in Wisconsin? [1]

['Jacob Alabab-Moser', 'Wisconsin Watch', 'More Jacob Alabab-Moser', 'Fact Checker']

Date: 2023-02-02 21:46:29+00:00

Reading Time: < 1 minute

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Yes.

Union membership in Wisconsin is at its lowest since at least 1989, the earliest year for which the Bureau of Labor Statistics has data. It currently stands at 7.1% of the state workforce.

In all, 187,000 Wisconsin workers were members of unions or employee associations similar to unions in 2022 — down 13% from 215,000 just the year before. Since 1989, membership is down 59%, when 456,000 workers were union members.

Union membership has been declining nationwide for many years, but Wisconsin’s drop is among the most significant. Wisconsin Policy Forum attributes this to the state’s passage of Act 10 and right-to-work laws, which waived union dues as a condition of employment for people under a union contract.

WPF also cited production shifting overseas, increasing automation and the rise of service-sector jobs as additional factors in Wisconsin’s diminishing union influence.

See a full discussion of this at Wisconsin Watch

This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.

Sources

US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union membership historical table for Wisconsin

US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union members — 2022

Wisconsin Policy Forum: State drop in unions among nation’s largest

Wisconsin Public Radio: Wisconsin union membership is the lowest it’s been since at least 1989

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If we send you a request to change or remove Wisconsin Watch content from your site, you must agree to do so immediately. You are welcome to republish our articles forusing the following ground rules. For questions regarding republishing rules please contact Andy Hall, executive director, at [email protected] Has union membership been on the decline in Wisconsin? <h1>Has union membership been on the decline in Wisconsin?</h1> by Jacob Alabab-Moser / Wisconsin Watch, Wisconsin Watch February 2, 2023 <h2>Yes. </h2> Union membership in Wisconsin is at its lowest since at least 1989, the earliest year for which the Bureau of Labor Statistics has data. It currently stands at 7.1% of the state workforce. In all, 187,000 Wisconsin workers were members of unions or employee associations similar to unions in 2022 — down 13% from 215,000 just the year before. Since 1989, membership is down 59%, when 456,000 workers were union members. Union membership has been declining nationwide for many years, but Wisconsin's drop is among the most significant. Wisconsin Policy Forum attributes this to the state's passage of Act 10 and right-to-work laws, which waived union dues as a condition of employment for people under a union contract. WPF also cited production shifting overseas, increasing automation and the rise of service-sector jobs as additional factors in Wisconsin's diminishing union influence. <a href="https://wisconsinwatch.org/2022/10/wisconsin-workers-show-renewed-energy-after-decade-of-anti-union-laws/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">See a full discussion of this at Wisconsin Watch</a> This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such as <a href="https://twitter.com/JonahFurman/status/1616103902549516289" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">this one.</a> Sources US Bureau of Labor Statistics: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/regions/midwest/data/unionmembershiphistorical_wisconsin_table.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Union membership historical table for Wisconsin</a> US Bureau of Labor Statistics: <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/union2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Union members — 2022</a> Wisconsin Policy Forum: <a href="https://wispolicyforum.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Focus_22_04_Unions.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">State drop in unions among nation’s largest</a> Wisconsin Public Radio: <a href="https://www.wpr.org/wisconsin-union-membership-lowest-since-1989#:~:text=Union%20membership%20in%20the%20state,U.S.%20Bureau%20of%20Labor%20Statistics." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wisconsin union membership is the lowest it's been since at least 1989</a> This <a target="_blank" href="https://wisconsinwatch.org/2023/02/has-union-membership-been-on-the-decline-in-wisconsin/">article</a> first appeared on <a target="_blank" href="https://wisconsinwatch.org">Wisconsin Watch</a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<img src="https://i0.wp.com/wisconsinwatch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/cropped-WCIJ_IconOnly_FullColor_RGB-1.png?fit=150%2C150&quality=100&ssl=1" style="width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;"><img id="republication-tracker-tool-source" src="https://wisconsinwatch.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=1276452&ga=UA-17896820-1" style="width:1px;height:1px;">

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