Introduction Over the past ten years, union density has declined dramatically in most developed countries. The figures indicate that we had kept pace with changes in the labour market, labour law, and managerial strategies over the past generation. But they also indicate that since 1990 we are no longer doing so. Actual membership, however, has declined by 255,000 since 1992, an average of 51,000 members lost each year.
Public employment is the most highly unionised sector of the economy.
Since the early 1990's it has been losing jobs. Manufacturing and construction, traditional union strongholds, are losing their relative importance to the economy. The private service sector is where job growth is. Growth in the number of women union members had almost wholly fueled union growth in the 1970's and 1980's. It is no longer compensating for the decline in male union membership.