Union membership in the public sector also grew by 152,788. The percentage of public-sector workers who have a union decreased slightly, from 37.5 percent to 37.3 percent. More workers are forming unions because they want a say in issues that affect them at work, such as wages, benefits and working conditions, according to recent polling and reports from organizing campaigns. Although workers' wages have shown a recent uptick, they still lag far behind 1970s levels, fueling the growing gap between the wealthy and working Americans. As low-wage, service and temporary jobs increase, many Americans find themselves without benefits or a steady paycheck.
Unions are a way for workers to turn that trend around and ensure they gain in prosperous times.
Recent organizing wins illustrate the gains workers can make by joining together. Young workers are increasingly open to unions. Recent polling shows that a majority of young workers ages 18-34 who don't have a union say they would likely vote for one. Many young workers formed unions in 1999, such as the 10,000 graduate assistants in California. In addition, the number of working men and women successfully forming unions is increasing as they find more support from their communities.