It's true that, according to Gallup, unions have their highest recorded approval rate in the United States since 1965. Simone Stolzoff elaborates on union activity level in this week's excellent NY Times essay, "Please Don’t Call My Job a Calling," positioning it as a grassroots response to workism (not the word he used). But union favorability doesn't sufficiently illustrate what's going on in US organized labor. The union *membership* rate — the percentage of the workforce that belongs to unions — is at a record low, 10.1% in 2022.
There's quite a bit to tease out in the data — including the total number of union members, the frequency of strikes, etc — but people may incorrectly conclude that unions are on the rise when they hear favorability is at a 38-year high.
Yes, you're right. The 'right to work' states have driven a wedge into the gears of unions there. One trend I find fascinating is the rise of professional unions. I'll look for stats.
It's true that, according to Gallup, unions have their highest recorded approval rate in the United States since 1965. Simone Stolzoff elaborates on union activity level in this week's excellent NY Times essay, "Please Don’t Call My Job a Calling," positioning it as a grassroots response to workism (not the word he used). But union favorability doesn't sufficiently illustrate what's going on in US organized labor. The union *membership* rate — the percentage of the workforce that belongs to unions — is at a record low, 10.1% in 2022.
There's quite a bit to tease out in the data — including the total number of union members, the frequency of strikes, etc — but people may incorrectly conclude that unions are on the rise when they hear favorability is at a 38-year high.
Yes, you're right. The 'right to work' states have driven a wedge into the gears of unions there. One trend I find fascinating is the rise of professional unions. I'll look for stats.