The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
January 24, 2013

Unionization of U.S. Workers Hits Lowest Mark in 76 Years 
----------------------------------------------------------


 
New figures show the percentage of U.S. unionized workers has reached
its lowest point in 76 years. According to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 11.3 percent of U.S. workers belonged to a union in 2012,
down from 11.8 percent the year prior. The total number of unionized
workers dropped by 400,000, even though overall employment increased by
2.4 million. Union membership has come under further assault in recent
years with the help of state legislation, including Wisconsin's rollback
of collective bargaining and so-called "right to work" laws in Indiana
and Michigan. In a statement, the AFL-CIO said: "Working women and men
urgently need a voice on the job today, but the sad truth is that it has
become more difficult for them to have one."

 

.