Accounting for the Decline of Unions in the Private Sector, 1973–1998

After documenting the long decline in private sector unionism over the last 50 years, we present an accounting framework that decomposes the sharp decline in the private sector union membership rate into components due to (1) differential growth rates in employment between the union & nonunion secto... Full description

After documenting the long decline in private sector unionism over the last 50 years, we present an accounting framework that decomposes the sharp decline in the private sector union membership rate into components due to (1) differential growth rates in employment between the union & nonunion sectors & (2) changes in the union new organization rate (through NLRB-supervised representation elections). We find that most of the decline in the union membership rate is due to differential employment growth rates & that changes in union organizing activity had relatively little effect. Given that the differential employment growth rates are due largely to broader market & regulatory forces, we conclude that the prospects are dim for a reversal of the downward spiral of labor unions based on increased organizing activity. 9 Figures, 34 References. Adapted from the source document.