BLS Releases Union Membership Numbers for 2016

Union membership in 2016 declined by 0.4 percent – four-tenths of 1 percent – according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Not so surprising, when you look at the focused attack on workers' rights that has hurt private and public sector workers. Overall, 10.7 percent of workers, or 14.6 million workers, were union members. About 12 percent of workers are represented by unions. 

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has been plotting for four decades to get rid of unions and collective bargaining. Why? Because the union movement makes it possible for workers to improve their lives and fight back against corporate greed.

That's why we're seeing "right-to-work (for less)" campaigns and attacks on the right of public workers to have a union voice. If unions didn’t matter, corporate America would find something else to do. 

We know workers still want unions. As tough as it can be, more than 20,000 workers joined CWA in the last two years. When working people are able to bargain for a better life, wages and standards rise across the board.