Union membership in the U.S. construction industry across all occupations declined slightly in 2022, from 12.6 percent to 11.7 percent, according to an annual report recently issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (“BLS”). Union representation in the industry also declined, from 13.6 percent to 12.4 percent. Still, union membership in construction remains considerably higher than the 6.0 percent rate across industries in the private sector. Union membership in general in the U.S. fell to its lowest rate on record at 10.1 percent, reports BLS.
Among workers in construction and extraction occupations, whether employed in the construction industry or another industry, union membership declined from 17.1 percent to 16.4 percent. Union representation in such occupations declined from 18.4 percent to 17.4 percent.
The report also addresses earnings by union affiliation, union affiliation by state, and other union-related data. Historical data on these and related topics are available here.
When considering BLS industry data, note that the data cover surveyed employees at all levels and classifications, including personnel who are not typically organized, such as office staff. Note also that the data cover all sectors of the industry, including single-family home builders and home improvement firms. Accordingly, the data may be better relied upon for portrayal of trends over time than for providing accurate data on union affiliation in commercial construction at a specific time.