This Labor Day, a large share of the American workforce will enjoy a long weekend, thanks to the history of union representation in this country. The very first Labor Day was celebrated in New York City in 1882, a product of planning by the Central Labor Union. Even the weekend as we know it today was a hard-fought right won through organized labor.
While in some states unions have lost most of their power, in others, unions still have clout. To identify the states with the highest union membership, 24/7 Wall St. used union membership data from Union Stats, a resource compiled using the Current Population Survey and Bureau of Labor Statistics. Union data is current as of Feb. 1, 2022. Ten-year changes in membership and employment are also from Union Stats, while average yearly wage is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.
In addition to challenges by competition from abroad, organized labor has been confronted by robust and sophisticated management tactics to keep unions out of the workplace. (Unions have tactics too. Here are 31 of the largest worker strikes in American history.)
A recent Gallup Poll found public approval about unions is at its highest level since 1965, at 71%. (These are states with the most unfair dismissals.)
Organized labor has scored some recent victories. In July, the California state legislature sent a bill to Gov. Gavin Newsom, which would allow the state the power to regulate conditions and wages at fast food restaurants.
Amazon workers at a warehouse in Staten Island, New York — a state with one of the higher percentages of union members — voted in early April to join a union. Since then, another warehouse in Staten Island and one in Bessemer, Alabama have unionized as well.
Since December 2021, more than 110 Starbucks across the country have voted to unionize, compared to just 13 that voted against. A Buffalo store was the first Starbucks to unionize in December.
Click here to see states with the highest union membership
50. South Carolina
> Workers in a labor union: 1.7% (total: 34,770)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -1.8 ppt. (15th highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $47,490 (5th lowest)
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49. North Carolina
> Workers in a labor union: 2.6% (total: 108,124)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -0.4 ppt. (7th lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $53,100 (22nd lowest)
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48. Utah
> Workers in a labor union: 3.5% (total: 51,009)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -2.3 ppt. (8th highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $53,400 (24th highest)
47. Texas
> Workers in a labor union: 3.8% (total: 452,916)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -1.5 ppt. (23rd highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $54,230 (22nd highest)
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46. Arkansas
> Workers in a labor union: 3.9% (total: 45,503)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -0.3 ppt. (6th lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $46,500 (3rd lowest)
45. South Dakota
> Workers in a labor union: 4.0% (total: 15,624)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -1.1 ppt. (23rd lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $46,810 (4th lowest)
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44. Idaho
> Workers in a labor union: 4.7% (total: 35,741)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -0.5 ppt. (8th lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $47,940 (7th lowest)
43. Louisiana
> Workers in a labor union: 4.7% (total: 80,764)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): 0.2 ppt. (4th lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $47,740 (6th lowest)
42. Virginia
> Workers in a labor union: 4.8% (total: 175,451)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): 0.2 ppt. (3rd lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $62,330 (10th highest)
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41. Georgia
> Workers in a labor union: 4.8% (total: 210,782)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): 0.8 ppt. (16th lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $53,940 (23rd highest)
40. Tennessee
> Workers in a labor union: 5.1% (total: 144,802)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): 0.5 ppt. (10th lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $49,330 (11th lowest)
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39. Florida
> Workers in a labor union: 5.2% (total: 448,788)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -1.1 ppt. (25th lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $51,950 (19th lowest)
38. Arizona
> Workers in a labor union: 5.4% (total: 167,407)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -0.6 ppt. (11th lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $55,170 (20th highest)
37. North Dakota
> Workers in a labor union: 5.4% (total: 18,787)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -0.9 ppt. (19th lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $53,380 (25th highest)
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36. Mississippi
> Workers in a labor union: 5.5% (total: 58,956)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): 0.5 ppt. (9th lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $42,700 (the lowest)
35. Oklahoma
> Workers in a labor union: 5.6% (total: 86,591)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -0.8 ppt. (15th lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $48,360 (10th lowest)
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34. Wyoming
> Workers in a labor union: 5.7% (total: 13,369)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -1.5 ppt. (22nd highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $52,110 (21st lowest)
33. Alabama
> Workers in a labor union: 5.9% (total: 114,509)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -4.1 ppt. (6th highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $48,110 (8th lowest)
32. Colorado
> Workers in a labor union: 6.5% (total: 164,654)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -1.7 ppt. (18th highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $62,900 (9th highest)
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31. Iowa
> Workers in a labor union: 6.5% (total: 92,820)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -4.7 ppt. (3rd highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $51,140 (16th lowest)
30. Nebraska
> Workers in a labor union: 6.8% (total: 60,854)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -1.1 ppt. (22nd lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $52,110 (21st lowest)
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29. Kentucky
> Workers in a labor union: 7.2% (total: 124,914)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -1.7 ppt. (17th highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $48,170 (9th lowest)
28. New Mexico
> Workers in a labor union: 7.5% (total: 57,924)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): 0.7 ppt. (13th lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $51,860 (18th lowest)
27. Wisconsin
> Workers in a labor union: 7.9% (total: 214,513)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -5.4 ppt. (2nd highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $53,120 (23rd lowest)
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26. Missouri
> Workers in a labor union: 9.0% (total: 235,212)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -1.9 ppt. (13th highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $51,390 (17th lowest)
25. Indiana
> Workers in a labor union: 9.0% (total: 255,682)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -2.2 ppt. (10th highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $50,440 (14th lowest)
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24. Kansas
> Workers in a labor union: 9.2% (total: 119,600)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): 1.6 ppt. (21st highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $49,680 (13th lowest)
23. West Virginia
> Workers in a labor union: 9.6% (total: 66,552)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -4.2 ppt. (4th highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $46,490 (2nd lowest)
22. Delaware
> Workers in a labor union: 9.8% (total: 42,402)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -0.7 ppt. (12th lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $59,820 (13th highest)
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21. New Hampshire
> Workers in a labor union: 10.0% (total: 64,561)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -1.0 ppt. (20th lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $59,270 (16th highest)
20. Maryland
> Workers in a labor union: 10.9% (total: 293,969)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -1.5 ppt. (24th highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $65,900 (7th highest)
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19. Montana
> Workers in a labor union: 11.2% (total: 49,002)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -1.8 ppt. (16th highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $49,340 (12th lowest)
18. Ohio
> Workers in a labor union: 12.0% (total: 595,828)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -1.4 ppt. (25th highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $53,170 (24th lowest)
17. Nevada
> Workers in a labor union: 12.2% (total: 152,243)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -2.5 ppt. (7th highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $51,080 (15th lowest)
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16. Vermont
> Workers in a labor union: 12.3% (total: 32,359)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): 0.3 ppt. (5th lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $55,450 (19th highest)
15. Maine
> Workers in a labor union: 12.4% (total: 69,648)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): 1.1 ppt. (21st lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $53,230 (25th lowest)
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14. Massachusetts
> Workers in a labor union: 12.6% (total: 401,304)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -2.0 ppt. (12th highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $72,940 (the highest)
13. Pennsylvania
> Workers in a labor union: 12.9% (total: 692,313)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -1.7 ppt. (19th highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $55,490 (18th highest)
12. Michigan
> Workers in a labor union: 13.3% (total: 538,701)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -4.2 ppt. (5th highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $55,160 (21st highest)
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11. Illinois
> Workers in a labor union: 13.9% (total: 752,063)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -2.3 ppt. (9th highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $59,650 (15th highest)
10. Connecticut
> Workers in a labor union: 14.6% (total: 222,159)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -2.2 ppt. (11th highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $66,130 (6th highest)
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9. Alaska
> Workers in a labor union: 15.7% (total: 45,998)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -6.4 ppt. (the highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $63,480 (8th highest)
8. Rhode Island
> Workers in a labor union: 15.8% (total: 74,781)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -1.6 ppt. (20th highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $62,120 (11th highest)
7. California
> Workers in a labor union: 15.9% (total: 2,468,918)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -1.1 ppt. (24th lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $68,510 (4th highest)
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6. Minnesota
> Workers in a labor union: 15.9% (total: 416,340)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): 0.9 ppt. (18th lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $60,480 (12th highest)
5. New Jersey
> Workers in a labor union: 16.2% (total: 608,805)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): 0.1 ppt. (2nd lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $67,120 (5th highest)
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4. Oregon
> Workers in a labor union: 17.8% (total: 318,007)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): 0.7 ppt. (14th lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $59,070 (17th highest)
3. Washington
> Workers in a labor union: 19.0% (total: 627,642)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): 0.04 ppt. (the lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $68,740 (3rd highest)
2. New York
> Workers in a labor union: 22.2% (total: 1,727,739)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): -1.8 ppt. (14th highest)
> Avg. annual wage: $70,460 (2nd highest)
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1. Hawaii
> Workers in a labor union: 22.4% (total: 120,906)
> Change in union membership (2011-2021): 0.9 ppt. (17th lowest)
> Avg. annual wage: $59,760 (14th highest)
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