Full text of Union Members : 1998, USDL 99-21 : 1998

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USDL 99-21

Media contact:

606-5902

For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Monday, January 25, 1999

Union Members in 1998

The share of wage and salary workers who were union members averaged
13.9 percent in 1998 as compared with 14.1 percent a year earlier, the U.S.
Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The
number of union members was little changed at 16.2 million. The union
membership rate has fallen from 20.1 percent in 1983, the first year for
which comparable data are available. Some highlights from the 1998 data
are:
--About three-fifths of the 16.2 million union members were in private
nonagricultural industries. About two-fifths worked in federal, state,
or local government.
--Among occupational groups, the unionization rate was highest among
workers in protective service, which includes police officers and
firefighters.
--Men were more likely to be union members than were women.
--Median weekly earnings for union members who work full time were about a
third higher than the median for nonunion workers.
Membership by industry and occupation
In 1998, government workers continued to have a much higher
unionization rate than their private sector counterparts, 37.5 percent
versus 9.5 percent. Workers in local government were the most likely to be
unionized, at 43.8 percent. The union membership rate for government
workers has been fairly steady since 1983, while rates have decreased in
all major private nonagricultural industries. Among the private
nonagricultural industries, the highest union membership rates were in
communications and public utilities (26.0 percent) and in transportation
(25.7 percent). Other industries that had higher-than-average unionization
rates in 1998 were construction (17.8 percent) and manufacturing (15.8
percent). Of the nonagricultural industries, finance, insurance, and real
estate had the smallest proportion of workers who were union members
(2.0 percent). (See table 3.)

Among the occupational groups, protective service had the highest
unionization rate (41.3 percent). This group includes many government
workers such as police officers and firefighters. Union membership rates
also were higher than average for precision production, craft, and repair
workers (22.1 percent); operators, fabricators, and laborers (21.3
percent); and professional specialty occupations (19.5 percent). Rates
were lowest in sales and in farming, forestry, and fishing occupations,
4.1 and 4.6 percent, respectively. (See table 3.)
- 2 Demographic characteristics of union members
Union membership was higher among men (16.2 percent) than women
(11.4 percent), as has been the case since 1983. However, since the rates
for men have declined faster than those for women, the gap in unionization
rates between the sexes has been closing. (See table 1.)
A higher percentage of blacks were members of unions (17.7 percent)
than whites (13.5 percent) and Hispanics (11.9 percent). Among these
groups, black men continued to have the highest union membership rate
(20.7 percent), while white and Hispanic women continued to have the lowest
rates (10.8 and 10.6 percent, respectively). Workers ages 35 to 64 were more
likely to be members of unions than their younger or older counterparts.
Full-time workers were nearly 2 and 1/2 times as likely as part timers to
be union members. (See table 1.)
Union representation of nonmembers
About 1.7 million wage and salary workers were represented at their
work place by a union in 1998, while not being union members themselves.
(See table 1.) A little more than half of these workers were employed in
government. (See table 3.)
Earnings
In 1998, union members had median usual weekly earnings of $659
compared with a median of $499 for wage and salary workers who were not
represented by unions. (See table 2.) The difference reflects a variety
of influences in addition to coverage by a collective bargaining agreement,
including variations in the distributions of union members and nonunion
employees by occupation, industry, firm size, or geographic region. (For a
discussion of the problem of differentiating between the influence of
unionization status and the influence of other worker characteristics on
employee earnings, see Kay E. Anderson, Philip M. Doyle, and Albert E.

Schwenk, "Measuring union-nonunion earnings differences," Monthly Labor
Review, June 1990, pp. 26-38.)
Technical Note

The estimates in this release are obtained from the Current Population
Survey (CPS), which provides the basic information on the labor force,
employment, and unemployment. The survey is conducted monthly for the
Bureau of Labor Statistics by the Bureau of the Census from a
scientifically selected national sample of about 50,000 households. The
union membership and earnings data are tabulated from one-quarter of the
CPS monthly sample and are limited to wage and salary workers. Excluded
are all self-employed workers.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired
individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-606-7828, TDD phone:
202-606-5897, TDD message referral phone number: 1-800-326-2577.
Reliability of the estimates
Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both sampling and nonsampling
error. When a sample, rather than the entire population, is surveyed,
there is a chance that the sample estimates may differ from the "true"
population values they represent. The exact difference, or sampling error,
varies depending upon the particular sample selected, and this variability
is measured by the standard error of the estimate. There is about a 90percent chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based on a sample
will differ by no more than 1.6 standard errors from the "true" population
value because of sampling error. BLS analyses are generally conducted at
the 90-percent level of confidence.
The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error. Nonsampling error
can occur for many reasons, including the failure to sample a segment of
the population, inability to obtain information for all respondents in the
sample, inability or unwillingness of respondents to provide correct
information, and errors made in the collection or processing of the data.
For a full discussion of the reliability of data from the CPS and
information on estimating standard errors, see the "Explanatory Notes and
Estimates of Error" section of the February 1994 and subsequent issues of
Employment and Earnings.
Definitions
The principal definitions used in this release are described briefly

below.
Union members. Data refer to members of a labor union or an employee
association similar to a union.
Represented by unions. Data refer to union members, as well as workers
who have no union affiliation but whose jobs are covered by a union or an
employee association contract.
Usual weekly earnings. Data represent earnings before taxes and other
deductions and include any overtime pay, commissions, or tips usually
received (at the main job in the case of multiple jobholders). Prior to
1994, respondents were asked how much they usually earned per week. Since
January 1994, respondents have been asked to identify the easiest way for
them to report earnings (hourly, weekly, biweekly, twice monthly, monthly,
annually, other) and how much they usually earn in the reported time
period. Earnings reported on a basis other than weekly are converted to a
weekly equivalent. The term "usual" is as perceived by the respondent. If
the respondent asks for a definition of usual, interviewers are instructed
to define the term as more than half the weeks worked during the past 4 or
5 months.
Median earnings. The median is the amount which divides a given earnings
distribution into two equal groups, one having earnings above the median
and the other having earnings below the median.
The estimating procedure places each reported or calculated weekly
earnings value into $50-wide intervals which are centered around multiples
of $50. The actual value is estimated through the linear interpolation of
the interval in which the median lies.
Wage and salary workers. Workers who receive wages, salaries,
commissions, tips, payment in kind, or piece rates. The group includes
employees in both the private and public sectors but, for the purposes of
the union membership and earnings series, excludes all self-employed
persons, regardless of whether or not their businesses are incorporated.
Full-time workers. Workers who usually work 35 hours or more per week at
their sole or principal job.
Part-time workers. Workers who usually work fewer than 35 hours per week
at their sole or principal job.
Hispanic origin. Refers to persons who are of Mexican, Puerto Rican,
Cuban, Central or South American, or other Hispanic origin or descent.
Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race; hence, they are included in

the numbers for the white and black populations.
Table 1. Union affiliation of employed wage and salary workers by selected characteristics
(Numbers in thousands)

1997

Members of
unions(1)
Characteristic

Total
employed
Total

Percent
of
employed

1998

Represented
by unions(2)

Total

Percent
of
employed

Members of
unions(1)
Total
employed
Total

Percent
of
employed

Represented
by unions(2)

Total

Percent
of
employed

SEX AND AGE
Total, 16 years and over................... 114,533
16 to 24 years............................ 18,571
25 years and over......................... 95,962
25 to 34 years........................... 29,408
35 to 44 years........................... 31,461
45 to 54 years........................... 22,714
55 to 64 years...........................
9,871
65 years and over........................
2,509

16,110
968
15,142
3,434
4,987
4,645
1,894
182

14.1
5.2
15.8
11.7
15.9
20.5
19.2
7.3

17,923
1,140
16,783
3,870
5,571
5,092
2,045
205

15.6
6.1
17.5
13.2
17.7
22.4
20.7
8.2

116,730
19,164
97,566
29,121
31,865
23,579
10,427
2,574

16,211
1,014
15,198
3,332
5,013
4,737
1,923
193

13.9
5.3
15.6
11.4
15.7
20.1
18.4
7.5

17,918
1,151
16,767
3,711
5,511
5,220
2,110
214

15.4
6.0
17.2
12.7
17.3
22.1
20.2
8.3

Men, 16 years and over....................
16 to 24 years...........................
25 years and over........................
25 to 34 years..........................
35 to 44 years..........................
45 to 54 years..........................
55 to 64 years..........................
65 years and over.......................

59,825
9,666
50,159
15,832
16,430
11,471
5,101
1,324

9,763
612
9,150
2,132
3,068
2,718
1,130
103

16.3
6.3
18.2
13.5
18.7
23.7
22.1
7.8

10,619
691
9,928
2,359
3,346
2,908
1,198
118

17.7
7.1
19.8
14.9
20.4
25.4
23.5
8.9

60,973
9,927
51,046
15,656
16,768
11,874
5,404
1,343

9,850
637
9,213
2,112
3,055
2,771
1,177
98

16.2
6.4
18.0
13.5
18.2
23.3
21.8
7.3

10,638
719
9,919
2,301
3,264
2,982
1,265
108

17.4
7.2
19.4
14.7
19.5
25.1
23.4
8.0

Women, 16 years and over..................
16 to 24 years...........................
25 years and over........................
25 to 34 years..........................
35 to 44 years..........................
45 to 54 years..........................
55 to 64 years..........................

54,708
8,906
45,802
13,575
15,030
11,242
4,770

6,347
355
5,992
1,302
1,919
1,927
764

11.6
4.0
13.1
9.6
12.8
17.1
16.0

7,304
449
6,855
1,512
2,225
2,184
847

13.4
5.0
15.0
11.1
14.8
19.4
17.8

55,757
9,237
46,520
13,464
15,097
11,705
5,023

6,362
377
5,985
1,219
1,958
1,967
746

11.4
4.1
12.9
9.1
13.0
16.8
14.9

7,280
432
6,848
1,410
2,248
2,238
845

13.1
4.7
14.7
10.5
14.9
19.1
16.8

65 years and over.......................

1,184

80

6.7

87

7.3

1,231

95

7.7

106

8.6

White, 16 years and over..................
Men.....................................
Women...................................

96,104
50,941
45,163

13,088
8,171
4,917

13.6
16.0
10.9

14,538
8,859
5,679

15.1
17.4
12.6

97,531
51,700
45,831

13,118
8,166
4,952

13.5
15.8
10.8

14,460
8,788
5,673

14.8
17.0
12.4

Black, 16 years and over..................
Men.....................................
Women...................................

13,346
6,201
7,145

2,394
1,251
1,143

17.9
20.2
16.0

2,688
1,378
1,309

20.1
22.2
18.3

13,894
6,452
7,443

2,460
1,337
1,123

17.7
20.7
15.1

2,739
1,458
1,282

19.7
22.6
17.2

Hispanic origin, 16 years and over........
Men.....................................
Women...................................

11,881
7,153
4,728

1,407
904
503

11.8
12.6
10.6

1,602
1,023
579

13.5
14.3
12.2

12,374
7,360
5,015

1,471
937
534

11.9
12.7
10.6

1,634
1,017
617

13.2
13.8
12.3

93,578
20,710

14,619
1,449

15.6
7.0

16,227
1,653

17.3
8.0

95,595
20,862

14,825
1,354

15.5
6.5

16,323
1,559

17.1
7.5

RACE, HISPANIC ORIGIN, AND SEX

FULL- OR PART-TIME STATUS(3)
Full-time workers.........................
Part-time workers.........................

1 Data refer to members of a labor union or an employee association similar to a union.
2 Data refer to members of a labor union or an employee association similar to a union as well as workers who report no
union affiliation but whose jobs are covered by a union or an employee association contract.
3 The distinction between full- and part-time workers is based on hours usually worked. Beginning in 1994, these data will
not sum to totals because full- or part-time status on the principal job is not identifiable for a small number of multiple
jobholders.
NOTE: Data refer to the sole or principal job of full- and part-time workers. Excluded are all self-employed
workers regardless of whether or not their businesses are incorporated. Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups
will not sum to totals because data for the "other races" group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the
white and black population groups. Beginning in January 1998, data reflect new composite estimation procedures and revised
population controls used in the household survey.

Table 2. Median weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by union affiliation and selected characteristics

1997

Characteristic
Total

Members
of
unions(1)

1998

Represented
by

Nonunion

Total

Members
of
unions(1)

Represented
by

Nonunion

unions(2)

unions(2)

SEX AND AGE

Total, 16 years and over...................
16 to 24 years............................
25 years and over.........................
25 to 34 years...........................
35 to 44 years...........................
45 to 54 years...........................
55 to 64 years...........................
65 years and over........................

$503
306
540
481
579
607
558
393

$640
385
655
579
675
704
661
614

$632
384
648
572
666
697
657
609

$478
302
511
466
548
578
512
374

$523
319
572
502
597
620
592
405

$659
415
673
595
683
716
697
610

$653
410
667
591
678
712
692
597

$499
315
537
489
576
592
560
383

Men, 16 years and over....................
16 to 24 years...........................
25 years and over........................
25 to 34 years..........................
35 to 44 years..........................
45 to 54 years..........................
55 to 64 years..........................
65 years and over.......................

579
317
615
515
651
713
669
452

683
402
697
607
712
744
702
677

679
404
693
603
708
741
701
672

539
313
595
503
630
698
649
415

598
334
639
544
677
732
699
482

699
430
712
618
722
755
738
657

696
424
709
615
719
755
737
659

573
326
617
524
660
719
674
445

Women, 16 years and over..................
16 to 24 years...........................
25 years and over........................
25 to 34 years..........................
35 to 44 years..........................
45 to 54 years..........................
55 to 64 years..........................
65 years and over.......................

431
292
462
427
482
495
433
348

577
353
587
521
592
627
582
(3)

568
351
581
514
585
620
575
586

411
289
437
416
461
465
408
324

456
305
485
451
498
516
476
350

596
389
605
542
605
651
602
548

593
382
602
542
605
645
596
522

430
301
463
439
479
488
448
329

White, 16 years and over..................
Men.....................................
Women...................................

519
595
444

$663
699
595

654
695
587

494
569
421

545
615
468

683
719
610

678
716
607

513
591
443

Black, 16 years and over..................
Men.....................................
Women...................................

400
432
375

533
577
504

523
573
496

371
396
349

426
468
400

578
597
537

572
592
533

398
424
376

Hispanic origin, 16 years and over........
Men.....................................

351
371

506
538

501
526

331
348

370
390

540
585

541
584

350
367

RACE, HISPANIC ORIGIN, AND SEX

Women...................................

318

440

430

309

337

478

481

322

1 Data refer to members of a labor union or an employee association similar to a union.
2 Data refer to members of a labor union or an employee association similar to a union as well as workers who report no
union affiliation but whose jobs are covered by a union or an employee association contract.
3 Data not shown where base is less than 50,000.
NOTE: Data refer to the sole or principal job of full-time workers. Excluded are all self-employed workers
regardlesses of whether or not their businesses are incorporated. Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will
not sum to totals because data for the "other races" group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white
and black population groups. Beginning in January 1998, data reflect new composite estimation procedures and revised
population controls used in the household survey.

Table 3. Union affiliation of employed wage and salary workers by occupation and industry
(Numbers in thousands)

1997

Members of
unions(1)
Occupation and industry

Total
employed
Total

Percent
of
employed

1998

Represented
by unions(2)

Total

Percent
of
employed

Members of
unions(1)
Total
employed
Total

Percent
of
employed

Represented
by unions(2)

Total

Percent
of
employed

OCCUPATION
Managerial and professional specialty.......
Executive, administrative, and managerial.
Professional specialty....................

31,946
14,908
17,037

4,208
763
3,445

13.2
5.1
20.2

4,951
959
3,992

15.5
6.4
23.4

33,102
15,473
17,629

4,252
812
3,440

12.8
5.2
19.5

5,015
1,017
3,998

15.2
6.6
22.7

Technical, sales, and administrative support
Technicians and related support...........
Sales occupations.........................
Administrative support, including clerical

34,796
4,111
13,055
17,631

3,158
427
559
2,172

9.1
10.4
4.3
12.3

3,648
501
659
2,488

10.5
12.2
5.0
14.1

35,379
4,150
13,378
17,851

3,239
433
544
2,262

9.2
10.4
4.1
12.7

3,677
498
620
2,558

10.4
12.0
4.6
14.3

Service occupations.........................
Protective service........................
Service, except protective service........

16,204
2,248
13,956

2,141
897
1,244

13.2
39.9
8.9

2,356
965
1,391

14.5
42.9
10.0

16,594
2,399
14,195

2,209
991
1,218

13.3
41.3
8.6

2,398
1,048
1,350

14.5
43.7
9.5

Precision production, craft, and repair.....

12,069

2,723

22.6

2,864

23.7

12,274

2,708

22.1

2,834

23.1

Operators, fabricators, and laborers........
Machine operators, assemblers, and
inspectors..................................
Transportation and material moving
occupations.................................
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and
laborers....................................

17,629

3,791

21.5

4,008

22.7

17,443

3,713

21.3

3,894

22.3

7,717

1,690

21.9

1,764

22.9

7,498

1,603

21.4

1,672

22.3

4,931

1,199

24.3

1,279

25.9

4,935

1,204

24.4

1,267

25.7

4,981

901

18.1

964

19.4

5,010

906

18.1

956

19.1

Farming, forestry, and fishing..............

1,890

88

4.6

97

5.1

1,938

90

4.6

100

5.2

Private wage and salary workers.............
Agriculture(3)............................
Nonagricultural industries................
Mining..................................
Construction............................

96,386
1,681
94,705
607
5,739

9,363
36
9,327
84
1,067

9.7
2.2
9.8
13.9
18.6

10,255
40
10,215
87
1,118

10.6
2.4
10.8
14.3
19.5

98,329
1,739
96,590
589
5,946

9,306
26
9,280
72
1,056

9.5
1.5
9.6
12.2
17.8

10,104
31
10,073
79
1,093

10.3
1.8
10.4
13.4
18.4

Manufacturing...........................
Durable goods.........................
Nondurable goods......................

19,961
11,908
8,053

3,253
2,090
1,164

16.3
17.5
14.5

3,441
2,198
1,243

17.2
18.5
15.4

19,763
11,999
7,763

3,127
1,990
1,138

15.8
16.6
14.7

3,315
2,097
1,218

16.8
17.5
15.7

Transportation and public utilities.....
Transportation........................
Communications and public utilities...

6,949
4,212
2,737

1,804
1,118
686

26.0
26.5
25.1

1,909
1,177
731

27.5
27.9
26.7

7,147
4,316
2,831

1,843
1,108
735

25.8
25.7
26.0

1,931
1,156
775

27.0
26.8
27.4

Wholesale and retail trade..............
Wholesale trade.......................
Retail trade..........................

23,676
4,296
19,379

1,315
251
1,065

5.6
5.8
5.5

1,469
284
1,186

6.2
6.6
6.1

24,230
4,425
19,805

1,283
259
1,024

5.3
5.9
5.2

1,387
275
1,113

5.7
6.2
5.6

Finance, insurance, and real estate.....
Services................................

7,070
30,704

155
1,647

2.2
5.4

199
1,993

2.8
6.5

7,420
31,493

150
1,750

2.0
5.6

195
2,073

2.6
6.6

Government workers..........................
Federal...................................
State.....................................
Local.....................................

18,147
3,217
5,031
9,899

6,747
1,030
1,485
4,232

37.2
32.0
29.5
42.7

7,668
1,266
1,679
4,723

42.3
39.4
33.4
47.7

18,401
3,269
5,150
9,982

6,905
1,105
1,431
4,370

37.5
33.8
27.8
43.8

7,815
1,299
1,667
4,849

42.5
39.7
32.4
48.6

INDUSTRY

1 Data refer to members of a labor union or an employee association similar to a union.
2 Data refer to members of a labor union or an employee association similar to a union as well as workers who report no

union affiliation but whose jobs are covered by a union or an employee association contract.
3 Data for 1997 have been corrected.
NOTE: Data refer to the sole or principal job of full- and part-time workers. Excluded are all self-employed
workers regardless of whether or not their businesses are incorporated. Beginning in January 1998, data reflect new
composite estimation procedures and revised controls used in the household survey.

Table 4. Median weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary workers by union affiliation, occupation, and industry

1997

Occupation and industry

1998

Total

Members
of
unions(1)

Represented
by
unions(2)

Nonunion

Total

Members
of
unions(1)

Represented
by
unions(2)

Nonunion

Managerial and professional specialty.......
Executive, administrative, and managerial.
Professional specialty....................

$738
725
750

$776
757
782

$766
752
769

$731
721
742

$759
755
763

$789
801
787

$774
789
772

$756
753
759

Technical, sales, and administrative support
Technicians and related support...........
Sales occupations.........................
Administrative support, including clerical

456
582
482
419

550
677
467
545

541
675
469
534

441
566
483
404

477
599
502
438

575
708
496
563

569
688
492
558

463
590
502
418

Service occupations.........................
Protective service........................
Service, except protective service........

313
550
293

516
724
398

505
713
393

293
418
283

327
598
305

557
736
403

542
732
402

305
450
295

Precision production, craft, and repair.....

548

724

718

501

572

753

747

514

Operators, fabricators, and laborers........
Machine operators, assemblers, and
inspectors..................................
Transportation and material moving
occupations.................................

401

572

561

365

415

585

580

381

390

533

524

356

406

559

556

375

498

658

642

451

510

655

644

468

OCCUPATION

Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and
laborers................................

329

509

506

310

351

514

514

326

Farming, forestry, and fishing..............

295

505

475

290

302

471

462

299

Private wage and salary workers.............
Agriculture(3)............................
Nonagricultural industries................
Mining..................................
Construction............................

486
306
490
680
518

609
(4)
$610
717
771

602
(4)
$603
717
760

471
305
476
668
484

505
315
509
684
534

625
(4)
$626
733
790

619
(4)
$620
723
783

493
314
496
673
496

Manufacturing...........................
Durable goods.........................
Nondurable goods......................

517
548
484

595
619
536

592
616
529

503
523
470

551
581
507

606
629
565

603
625
562

532
566
495

Transportation and public utilities.....
Transportation........................
Communications and public utilities...

617
573
709

718
702
746

714
697
743

580
513
690

624
570
727

731
704
763

724
695
760

586
519
699

Wholesale and retail trade..............
Wholesale trade.......................
Retail trade..........................

391
525
352

457
545
419

451
536
415

387
524
347

410
562
373

480
611
442

476
604
439

405
557
369

Finance, insurance, and real estate.....
Services................................

546
475

487
517

501
512

548
470

577
498

545
540

554
548

578
494

Government workers..........................
Federal...................................
State.....................................
Local.....................................

605
684
584
592

681
689
628
697

671
687
621
682

530
678
540
479

620
694
596
612

694
690
646
712

688
693
638
702

558
696
563
501

INDUSTRY

1 Data refer to members of a labor union or an employee association similar to a union.
2 Data refer to members of a labor union or an employee association similar to a union as well as workers who report no
union affiliation but whose jobs are covered by a union or an employee association contract.
3 Data for 1997 have been corrected.
4 Data not shown where base is less than 50,000.
NOTE: Data refer to the sole or principal job of full-time workers. Excluded are all self-employed workers
regardlesses of whether or not their businesses are incorporated. Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups
Beginning in January 1998, data reflect new composite estimation procedures and revised population controls used in the
household survey.