Table 2: Union membership and union coverage, January to October, 2019 to 2022
By broad private sector industry
2019 2020 2021 2022 Change
2022-2021 2022-2019
Coverage (%)
Agriculture and related industries 2.6% 1.7% 3.2% 4.0% 0.8 1.4
Mining 4.4% 6.7% 5.7% 7.5% 1.8 3.1
Construction 13.6% 13.5% 13.4% 12.1% −1.2 −1.5
Manufacturing 9.7% 9.4% 8.3% 8.5% 0.2 −1.2
Durable goods manufacturing 9.9% 9.4% 8.1% 8.7% 0.7 −1.1
Nondurable goods manufacturing 9.5% 9.3% 8.7% 8.1% −0.7 −1.4
Wholesale trade 5.3% 4.9% 4.5% 3.8% −0.7 −1.5
Wholesale and retail trade 4.8% 5.1% 4.9% 4.8% −0.1 −0.1
Retail trade 4.7% 5.1% 5.0% 4.9% 0.0 0.2
Transportation and utilities 18.9% 19.2% 16.7% 16.1% −0.6 −2.8
Transportation and warehousing 18.0% 18.6% 16.0% 15.5% −0.6 −2.5
Utilities 23.7% 22.2% 20.8% 20.6% −0.2 −3.2
Information 10.8% 9.7% 10.9% 8.9% −2.0 −1.9
Publishing industries (except internet) 3.3% 3.0% 7.0% 5.2% −1.9 1.9
Motion picture and sound recording industries 14.4% 13.0% 19.4% 17.6% −1.8 3.2
Broadcasting (except internet) 11.5% 8.3% 10.6% 10.7% 0.1 −0.9
Telecommunications 14.6% 14.5% 12.2% 9.4% −2.9 −5.2
Internet publishing and broadcasting 3.7% 3.1% 0.7% 2.1% 1.4 −1.6
Internet service providers and data processing services 0.0% 4.0% 5.5% 1.3% −4.2 1.3
Other information services 5.9% 9.3% 7.8% 1.2% −6.7 −4.7
Financial activities 2.4% 2.6% 3.1% 2.5% −0.6 0.1
Finance 1.6% 1.9% 1.7% 2.0% 0.3 0.4
Insurance 1.6% 2.2% 2.2% 1.7% −0.6 0.1
Real estate 4.9% 4.8% 6.8% 4.3% −2.5 −0.5
Rental and leasing services 4.0% 4.5% 6.4% 3.8% −2.6 −0.1
Professional and technical services 2.1% 2.1% 1.9% 1.7% −0.3 −0.4
Management, administrative, and waste services 4.3% 4.6% 5.2% 5.1% −0.1 0.8
Professional and business services 2.9% 2.9% 3.0% 2.8% −0.2 −0.1
Educational and health services 9.2% 9.9% 9.3% 9.0% −0.4 −0.3
Educational services 13.5% 15.6% 15.3% 14.2% −1.1 0.7
Health care and social assistance 8.1% 8.5% 7.8% 7.6% −0.2 −0.5
Leisure and hospitality 3.5% 2.8% 2.7% 3.5% 0.8 0.0
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 7.2% 6.0% 5.9% 7.8% 1.9 0.6
Accommodation 7.3% 6.6% 5.8% 7.7% 1.9 0.4
Food services and drinking places 1.9% 1.6% 1.6% 1.8% 0.1 −0.1
Other services 3.1% 3.0% 3.5% 3.4% −0.1 0.3
Other services, except private households 3.4% 3.3% 3.6% 3.6% 0.0 0.2
Private households 0.8% 0.6% 2.7% 1.6% −1.1 0.8
Membership (%)
Agriculture and related industries 1.6% 1.4% 2.9% 3.7% 0.8 2.1
Mining 3.6% 5.6% 5.7% 6.4% 0.7 2.7
Construction 12.8% 12.8% 12.3% 11.4% −0.9 −1.3
Manufacturing 8.8% 8.6% 7.6% 7.7% 0.1 −1.1
Durable goods manufacturing 9.0% 8.7% 7.3% 7.8% 0.5 −1.2
Nondurable goods manufacturing 8.4% 8.5% 8.0% 7.5% −0.5 −0.9
Wholesale trade 4.8% 4.3% 3.7% 3.3% −0.4 −1.5
Wholesale and retail trade 4.1% 4.6% 4.3% 4.1% −0.2 0.0
Retail trade 4.0% 4.6% 4.4% 4.3% −0.1 0.3
Transportation and utilities 17.4% 18.0% 15.2% 15.2% 0.0 −2.2
Transportation and warehousing 16.3% 17.5% 14.6% 14.5% 0.0 −1.8
Utilities 23.1% 20.7% 19.3% 19.6% 0.3 −3.5
Information 10.1% 8.7% 9.7% 8.2% −1.5 −1.9
Publishing industries (except internet) 2.9% 2.8% 5.2% 4.1% −1.1 1.3
Motion picture and sound recording industries 13.2% 12.3% 18.5% 17.0% −1.5 3.8
Broadcasting (except internet) 10.8% 7.3% 8.7% 10.5% 1.7 −0.3
Telecommunications 13.8% 12.9% 11.0% 8.3% −2.6 −5.4
Internet publishing and broadcasting 3.7% 2.2% 0.7% 1.4% 0.7 −2.3
Internet service providers and data processing services 0.0% 1.8% 4.0% 1.3% −2.7 1.3
Other information services 5.2% 9.3% 7.8% 0.5% −7.3 −4.7
Financial activities 1.9% 1.8% 2.3% 1.8% −0.5 0.0
Finance 1.1% 1.0% 1.2% 1.4% 0.2 0.3
Insurance 1.1% 1.5% 1.7% 1.1% −0.6 0.0
Real estate 4.1% 3.7% 5.4% 3.6% −1.8 −0.6
Rental and leasing services 3.4% 3.8% 5.4% 3.1% −2.3 −0.3
Professional and technical services 1.4% 1.3% 1.2% 1.2% −0.1 −0.2
Management, administrative, and waste services 3.4% 3.8% 4.3% 4.4% 0.1 1.0
Professional and business services 2.1% 2.1% 2.2% 2.2% 0.0 0.1
Educational and health services 8.1% 8.5% 8.1% 7.7% −0.4 −0.3
Educational services 12.1% 13.4% 13.2% 12.2% −1.0 0.1
Health care and social assistance 7.0% 7.3% 6.8% 6.6% −0.2 −0.4
Leisure and hospitality 2.9% 2.3% 2.3% 2.9% 0.7 0.0
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 6.4% 4.8% 5.0% 6.6% 1.6 0.2
Accommodation 6.6% 5.9% 5.3% 7.2% 1.9 0.6
Food services and drinking places 1.4% 1.2% 1.3% 1.4% 0.1 0.0
Other services 2.6% 2.4% 2.9% 3.0% 0.0 0.4
Other services, except private households 2.8% 2.7% 3.0% 3.2% 0.3 0.4
Private households 0.8% 0.5% 2.5% 0.6% −1.9 −0.2
Coverage
Agriculture and related industries 36,000 21,000 42,000 51,000 8,000 15,000
Mining 31,000 46,000 32,000 42,000 10,000 11,000
Construction 1,141,000 1,048,000 1,081,000 1,050,000 −32,000 −91,000
Manufacturing 1,470,000 1,300,000 1,166,000 1,243,000 77,000 −227,000
Durable goods manufacturing 939,000 822,000 718,000 816,000 98,000 −123,000
Nondurable goods manufacturing 530,000 478,000 448,000 427,000 −20,000 −103,000
Wholesale trade 170,000 151,000 143,000 110,000 −32,000 −60,000
Wholesale and retail trade 867,000 870,000 886,000 849,000 −36,000 −18,000
Retail trade 697,000 718,000 743,000 739,000 −4,000 42,000
Transportation and utilities 1,264,000 1,220,000 1,152,000 1,209,000 58,000 −55,000
Transportation and warehousing 1,012,000 988,000 945,000 1,008,000 63,000 −4,000
Utilities 252,000 232,000 206,000 201,000 −5,000 −51,000
Information 258,000 212,000 254,000 211,000 −43,000 −47,000
Publishing industries (except internet) 12,000 10,000 23,000 21,000 −2,000 9,000
Motion picture and sound recording industries 57,000 40,000 71,000 76,000 6,000 19,000
Broadcasting (except internet) 57,000 33,000 40,000 34,000 −6,000 −23,000
Telecommunications 122,000 112,000 105,000 72,000 −33,000 −50,000
Internet publishing and broadcasting 5,000 6,000 1,000 5,000 4,000 0
Internet service providers and data processing services 0 4,000 6,000 2,000 −4,000 2,000
Other information services 5,000 7,000 7,000 1,000 −7,000 −4,000
Financial activities 222,000 240,000 276,000 226,000 −50,000 4,000
Finance 69,000 84,000 75,000 89,000 14,000 20,000
Insurance 40,000 54,000 56,000 43,000 −14,000 2,000
Real estate 99,000 88,000 128,000 83,000 −44,000 −16,000
Rental and leasing services 14,000 13,000 17,000 11,000 −6,000 −2,000
Professional and technical services 213,000 209,000 202,000 187,000 −15,000 −26,000
Management, administrative, and waste services 237,000 222,000 253,000 275,000 22,000 37,000
Professional and business services 451,000 430,000 454,000 462,000 8,000 11,000
Educational and health services 2,184,000 2,208,000 2,138,000 2,125,000 −14,000 −59,000
Educational services 670,000 702,000 711,000 686,000 −25,000 16,000
Health care and social assistance 1,514,000 1,506,000 1,428,000 1,439,000 11,000 −75,000
Leisure and hospitality 460,000 291,000 302,000 424,000 121,000 −37,000
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 181,000 111,000 115,000 183,000 67,000 1,000
Accommodation 106,000 61,000 54,000 89,000 35,000 −16,000
Food services and drinking places 174,000 119,000 133,000 152,000 19,000 −22,000
Other services 188,000 160,000 197,000 201,000 3,000 13,000
Other services, except private households 181,000 156,000 180,000 191,000 10,000 9,000
Private households 6,000 4,000 17,000 10,000 −7,000 4,000
Membership
Agriculture and related industries 22,000 18,000 39,000 47,000 9,000 25,000
Mining 25,000 38,000 32,000 36,000 4,000 10,000
Construction 1,066,000 997,000 999,000 991,000 −9,000 −75,000
Manufacturing 1,325,000 1,194,000 1,061,000 1,125,000 64,000 −201,000
Durable goods manufacturing 856,000 755,000 650,000 728,000 78,000 −128,000
Nondurable goods manufacturing 470,000 438,000 411,000 397,000 −14,000 −73,000
Wholesale trade 153,000 135,000 116,000 95,000 −22,000 −59,000
Wholesale and retail trade 743,000 780,000 773,000 734,000 −39,000 −9,000
Retail trade 590,000 645,000 657,000 640,000 −17,000 50,000
Transportation and utilities 1,163,000 1,144,000 1,050,000 1,140,000 90,000 −23,000
Transportation and warehousing 918,000 927,000 858,000 948,000 90,000 31,000
Utilities 245,000 217,000 191,000 192,000 0 −53,000
Information 241,000 190,000 225,000 193,000 −31,000 −47,000
Publishing industries (except internet) 10,000 10,000 17,000 16,000 −1,000 6,000
Motion picture and sound recording industries 52,000 38,000 67,000 74,000 7,000 22,000
Broadcasting (except internet) 54,000 29,000 33,000 34,000 1,000 −20,000
Telecommunications 115,000 101,000 94,000 64,000 −30,000 −51,000
Internet publishing and broadcasting 5,000 4,000 1,000 3,000 2,000 −2,000
Internet service providers and data processing services 0 2,000 4,000 2,000 −3,000 2,000
Other information services 4,000 7,000 7,000 0 −7,000 −4,000
Financial activities 171,000 163,000 212,000 167,000 −45,000 −4,000
Finance 47,000 46,000 54,000 62,000 8,000 15,000
Insurance 29,000 38,000 42,000 28,000 −14,000 −1,000
Real estate 84,000 68,000 102,000 69,000 −33,000 −16,000
Rental and leasing services 12,000 11,000 15,000 9,000 −6,000 −3,000
Professional and technical services 143,000 136,000 127,000 131,000 4,000 −12,000
Management, administrative, and waste services 188,000 183,000 206,000 234,000 28,000 47,000
Professional and business services 330,000 318,000 334,000 365,000 32,000 35,000
Educational and health services 1,903,000 1,899,000 1,849,000 1,827,000 −23,000 −76,000
Educational services 599,000 604,000 613,000 588,000 −25,000 −11,000
Health care and social assistance 1,304,000 1,295,000 1,237,000 1,239,000 2,000 −66,000
Leisure and hospitality 387,000 234,000 253,000 356,000 103,000 −30,000
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 162,000 90,000 98,000 155,000 57,000 −7,000
Accommodation 96,000 54,000 50,000 84,000 34,000 −12,000
Food services and drinking places 129,000 89,000 105,000 118,000 12,000 −11,000
Other services 158,000 131,000 163,000 174,000 11,000 16,000
Other services, except private households 151,000 128,000 147,000 170,000 23,000 19,000
Private households 6,000 4,000 16,000 4,000 −12,000 −2,000
Total employment
Agriculture and related industries 1,364,000 1,294,000 1,347,000 1,276,000 −71,000 −88,000
Mining 706,000 678,000 563,000 562,000 −2,000 −144,000
Construction 8,357,000 7,762,000 8,094,000 8,659,000 565,000 302,000
Manufacturing 15,116,000 13,877,000 14,029,000 14,649,000 620,000 −467,000
Durable goods manufacturing 9,521,000 8,721,000 8,897,000 9,350,000 453,000 −171,000
Nondurable goods manufacturing 5,595,000 5,157,000 5,132,000 5,299,000 168,000 −296,000
Wholesale trade 3,181,000 3,110,000 3,146,000 2,883,000 −262,000 −297,000
Wholesale and retail trade 18,029,000 17,067,000 18,104,000 17,864,000 −240,000 −165,000
Retail trade 14,848,000 13,957,000 14,958,000 14,981,000 22,000 132,000
Transportation and utilities 6,686,000 6,360,000 6,882,000 7,499,000 616,000 813,000
Transportation and warehousing 5,625,000 5,312,000 5,892,000 6,522,000 631,000 897,000
Utilities 1,061,000 1,047,000 991,000 976,000 −14,000 −85,000
Information 2,395,000 2,178,000 2,320,000 2,371,000 51,000 −24,000
Publishing industries (except internet) 361,000 336,000 329,000 400,000 72,000 39,000
Motion picture and sound recording industries 397,000 308,000 363,000 434,000 71,000 37,000
Broadcasting (except internet) 497,000 397,000 379,000 322,000 −57,000 −175,000
Telecommunications 836,000 777,000 859,000 768,000 −91,000 −68,000
Internet publishing and broadcasting 147,000 194,000 189,000 234,000 45,000 87,000
Internet service providers and data processing services 79,000 92,000 107,000 135,000 29,000 56,000
Other information services 77,000 73,000 95,000 77,000 −17,000 0
Financial activities 9,254,000 9,095,000 9,039,000 9,210,000 171,000 −44,000
Finance 4,310,000 4,467,000 4,353,000 4,424,000 71,000 114,000
Insurance 2,568,000 2,493,000 2,531,000 2,567,000 35,000 −2,000
Real estate 2,033,000 1,851,000 1,882,000 1,929,000 46,000 −104,000
Rental and leasing services 343,000 284,000 272,000 291,000 18,000 −52,000
Professional and technical services 10,246,000 10,162,000 10,413,000 11,191,000 778,000 945,000
Management, administrative, and waste services 5,499,000 4,770,000 4,821,000 5,359,000 538,000 −140,000
Professional and business services 15,745,000 14,932,000 15,234,000 16,549,000 1,315,000 804,000
Educational and health services 23,638,000 22,264,000 22,884,000 23,675,000 791,000 37,000
Educational services 4,943,000 4,503,000 4,647,000 4,826,000 179,000 −117,000
Health care and social assistance 18,696,000 17,761,000 18,237,000 18,850,000 612,000 154,000
Leisure and hospitality 13,234,000 10,237,000 11,086,000 12,120,000 1,034,000 −1,114,000
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 2,515,000 1,864,000 1,962,000 2,341,000 378,000 −174,000
Accommodation 1,451,000 922,000 937,000 1,166,000 229,000 −286,000
Food services and drinking places 9,268,000 7,451,000 8,187,000 8,614,000 427,000 −654,000
Other services 6,118,000 5,365,000 5,593,000 5,886,000 294,000 −231,000
Other services, except private households 5,306,000 4,676,000 4,960,000 5,237,000 277,000 −68,000
Private households 812,000 688,000 633,000 649,000 16,000 −163,000
Sample size
Agriculture and related industries 1,376 1,177 1,229 1,113
Mining 925 812 702 638
Construction 7,443 6,270 6,498 6,429
Manufacturing 13,481 11,356 11,421 10,992
Durable goods manufacturing 8,412 7,124 7,207 7,006
Nondurable goods manufacturing 5,069 4,232 4,214 3,986
Wholesale trade 2,848 2,602 2,609 2,226
Wholesale and retail trade 16,417 14,288 14,964 13,768
Retail trade 13,569 11,686 12,355 11,542
Transportation and utilities 5,802 5,134 5,427 5,469
Transportation and warehousing 4,794 4,190 4,553 4,652
Utilities 1,008 944 874 817
Information 2,083 1,758 1,829 1,755
Publishing industries (except internet) 340 295 280 304
Motion picture and sound recording industries 311 216 252 278
Broadcasting (except internet) 423 349 311 259
Telecommunications 739 619 691 589
Internet publishing and broadcasting 115 142 129 156
Internet service providers and data processing services 74 76 83 102
Other information services 81 61 83 67
Financial activities 8,193 7,419 7,309 6,920
Finance 3,848 3,630 3,496 3,355
Insurance 2,268 2,031 2,028 1,912
Real estate 1,781 1,520 1,548 1,440
Rental and leasing services 296 238 237 213
Professional and technical services 8,820 8,108 8,210 8,247
Management, administrative, and waste services 4,622 3,699 3,713 3,847
Professional and business services 13,442 11,807 11,923 12,094
Educational and health services 21,707 19,020 19,270 18,372
Educational services 4,438 3,837 3,852 3,689
Health care and social assistance 17,269 15,183 15,418 14,683
Leisure and hospitality 11,574 8,174 8,838 8,964
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 2,248 1,505 1,585 1,750
Accommodation 1,442 857 887 970
Food services and drinking places 7,884 5,812 6,366 6,244
Other services 5,652 4,600 4,626 4,602
Other services, except private households 4,980 4,040 4,148 4,152
Private households 672 560 478 450
* Many estimates here and in the final published BLS report are subject to substantial sampling error due to small underlying sample sizes. These potential errors are, by definition, larger for less than full-year estimates.
Note: Workers 16 and older; excludes self-employed and self-incorporated. Changes may not match exactly due to rounding.
Source: Economic Policy Institute (EPI) analysis of Current Population Survey Outgoing Rotation Group Extracts, EPI Current Population Survey Extracts, Version 1.0.32 (2022), https://microdata.epi.org.