(Pa) State sees union membership boom (adding to April 22 primary mix)

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Bucks County Courier Times



Pennsylvania became the fourth-largest union state in the country in 2007 by adding enough members to surpass both New Jersey and Michigan, the U.S. Department of Labor has reported.

Breaking a five-year streak of membership declines, Pennsylvania unions added 85,000 members in 2007 — enough to boost it past New Jersey and Michigan, both of which lost members last year.

Those 830,000 employees represent 15.1 percent of the state's workers, up from 13.6 percent in 2006, according to the U.S. labor department.

Pennsylvania is also quickly closing in on Illinois, the state in the third spot. Illinois saw its total drop from 931,000 to 842,000 last year.


Read more: http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/157-04062008-1514732.html

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Top union states

State Members in 2007 Members in 2006 Change*

1.) California 2.5 million 2.3 million +9%

2.) New York 2.1 million 2 million +5%

3.) Illinois 842,000 931,000 -10%

4.) Pennsylvania 830,000 745,000 +11%

5.) Michigan 819,000 842,000 -3%

6.) New Jersey 748,000 770,000 -3%

Source: U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics' Current Population Survey.

[Beregond2]

1. These stats

would be more interesting in terms of percentage of the population.

[Omaha Steve]

2. USA 2007 12.1 percent of the nation's workforce of 129 million

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/25/AR2008012503076.html

Union Membership Up Slightly in 2007
Growth Was Biggest in Western States; Midwest Rolls Shrank With Job Losses

Labor Department reported yesterday that unions represent only 12.1 percent of the nation's workforce of 129 million, up slightly from 12 percent in 2006. In 1983, 20 percent of U.S. workers were union members.

[UrbScotty]

3. The numbers from Michigan appear to be inversed

According to this link, union membership increased in Michigan last year as well.

http://www.bloggingformichigan.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1740

[Omaha Steve]

5. The numbers are wrong?

Well I know who to blame.

http://www.americanrightsatwork.org/the-anti-union-network/home/shame-on-elaine-chao.html



Have you ever wondered who Elaine Chao is? As the longest-serving member of George W. Bush’s cabinet, you’d expect a certain level of analysis of her activities as Secretary of Labor. But unlike her cohorts in the Bush administration, Elaine has escaped much-needed public scrutiny of her record.

Elaine Chao’s egregious policies include rollbacks of critical mine safety protections, hostility toward workers and their unions, and collaboration with corporate interests, most notably through her husband, Senator Mitch McConnell.

Find out more at ShameOnElaine.org.

[CANDO]

4. Teamsters are organizing UPS Freight around the country

This is the former Overnite Transportation, which saw decades of frustrated efforts by it's employees to try and organize. UPS's purchase of them opened the door due to it's own labor force of some 230,000 strong being represented by the Teamsters Union. They knew they'd have major problems on their hands if they stood in the way of it's new subsidiary going union. Union Yes, Baby!

[struggle4progress]

6. !

:D

[Mind_your_head]

7. y a hooey....praise god

:eyes:

[PittPoliSci]

8. i would be one of those people that joined a union last year in PA.

good news, glad to hear it.