Union membership declines in 2010

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides a yearly statistical summary on union membership. Last week's release of the 2010 report confirmed conventional wisdom by showing union membership declining from 12.3% of the wage and salary workers to 11.9%. Union density also fell in the private sector to 6.9% (as compared to 36.2% in the public sector. The estimated number of workers belonging to unions declined 612,000 to 14.3 million. Union membership rates declined over the year in 33 states and the District of Columbia and rose in 17 states. Union membership declined in Louisiana and Mississippi, but increased in Texas.