Bureau of Labor Statistics Reports Growth in Union Membership in Pennsylvania and...

Bureau of Labor Statistics Reports Growth in Union Membership in Pennsylvania
and United States

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, (BLS), released an annual report today
indicating that union membership in Pennsylvania increased for the second
straight year contributing to the increase in union membership nationwide as
well for the second straight year.

Union density in Pennsylvania rose from 15.1 percent in 2007 to 15.4 percent
in 2008. In 2007 there were 830,000 union members in Pennsylvania among 5.496
million employed workers. In 2008 the number of union members increased to
847,000 among a workforce of 5.504 employed workers. Although the number of
union members increased in 2008 the number of workers represented by unions
declined from 910,000 workers to 899,000 workers.
Pennsylvania's growth in union membership contributed to the increase in union
membership in the United States, which grew by almost a half million members
-- 428,000 to 16.1 million in 2008 -- according the BLS.

"Today's numbers reflect what we already know, that given a chance workers are
choosing unions in greater numbers to gain the dignity and respect they
deserve on the job," said Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Bill George.
"Unionized workers are much more likely to have health care and pension
benefits than those workers without a union," he said.

The growth in union membership comes at a time when workers say they want and
need unions. Seventy-eight percent of the public supports legislation that
will make it easier for workers to bargain with their employer and 60 million
workers would join a union if they had the opportunity, according to research
by Peter D. Hart Research Associates.

A factor that may have led to growth in union membership, despite the economic
downturn, is the increased job security afforded by a union contract.
Unionized companies are not more adversely impacted than non-union companies
during economic downturns.

CONTACT: James Deegan of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, +1-717-231-2867

/PRNewswire-USNewswire -- Jan. 28/

SOURCE Pennsylvania AFL-CIO