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blogState of the Unions

swivelThis page presents recent extracts from the New Unionism Network's global union database, drawing on a variety of publicly-accessible annual returns, papers, reports, statements and surveys. For specific source references for any of the figures given, or to suggest further sources, please email us. Before drawing any conclusions based on this data, it is important to read the comments below» 


 
Union membership and rights, by country

   Country
Rights
report
Membership density (1)
Year
Total
members
(2)
Year
General trend
post 2000
(3)

  Afghanistan

       
Not known
  Albania
20%
2007
185,000
2007
Not known
  Algeria
66%
2008
1,532,968
2006
Increase 10-25%
  Andorra        
Not known
  Angola        
Not known
  Antigua and Barbuda
60%
2007
10,000
2007
Not known
  Argentina
24%
2002
5,528,023
2006
Increase 25-50%
  Armenia
20%
2010
240,000
2008
Not known
  Australia
19%
2008
1,800,000
2009
Decrease 1-10%
  Austria
26.6%
2008
1,330,000
2005
Decrease 1-10%
  Azerbaijan    
236,220
2009
Not known
  Bahamas
25%
2008
20,000
2000
Not known
  Bahrain    
25,000
2007
Increase 50% +
  Bangladesh
3.8%
2008
1,900,000
2008
Decrease 1-10%
  Barbados
26%
2002
48,600
2000
Not known
  Belarus
90.5%
2007
   
Not known
  Belgium
58%
2008
3,300,000
2005
Increase 10-25%
  Belize
7%
2008
   
Not known
  Benin        
Not known
  Bhutan        
Not known
  Bolivia
26.6%
2006
   
Not known
  Bosnia and
  Herzegovina
       
Not known
  Botswana
20%
2006
60,000
2006
Increase 50% +
  Brazil
17.8%
2007
13,309,123
2002
Not known
  Brunei Darussalam    
0
2007
Not known
  Bulgaria
20%
2007
475,970
2008
Decrease 10-25%
  Burkina Faso        
Not known
  Burundi    
17,579
2005
Not known
  Cambodia
2.9%
2008
97,000
2003
Increase 50% +
  Cameroon
3.5%
2005
   
Not known
  Canada
29.5%
2009
4,200,000
2009
Increase 1-10%
  Cape Verde
22%
2008
33,000
2005
Not known
  Central African
  Republic
       
Not known
  Chad        
Not known
  Chile
13%
2008
936,000
2008
Increase 50% +
  China, People's
  Republic of
90%
2000
212,000,000
2008
Increase 50% +
  Colombia
4%
2008
742,000
2008
Decrease 10-25%
  Comoros        
Not known
  Congo        
Not known
  Costa Rica
16%
2007
   
Not known
  Cote d'Ivoire
9%
2008
   
Not known
  Croatia
50%
2008
500,000
2005
Not known
  Cuba
70.6%
2008
3,920,000
2006
Not known
  Cyprus
70%
2008
205,852
2008
Increase 10-25%
  Czech Republic
15%
2008
900,000
2006
Increase 1-10%
  Democratic Republic
  of the Congo
       
Not known
  Denmark
72%
2008
1,890,700
2008
Decrease 1-10%
  Djibouti        
Not known
  Dominica
33%
2007
   
Not known
  Dominican Republic
8%
2008
   
Not known
  East Timor        
Not known
  Ecuador
1%
2008
   
Not known
  Egypt
16%
2007
4,500,000
2008
Increase 25-50%
  El Salvador
6.7%
2008
138,447
2002
Increase 1-10%
  Equatorial Guinea        
Not known
  Eritrea    
26,000
2005
Not known
  Estonia
6.9%
2007
80,000
2004
Decrease 10-25%
  Ethiopia
1%
2007
300,000
2008
Stability +/- 1%
  Fiji
31%
2008
45,000
2003
Not known
  Finland
64%
2006
2,100,000
2007
Increase 1-10%
  France
8%
2008
1,800,000
2005
Decrease 1-10%
  Gabon        
Not known
  Gambia
10%
2004
51,000
2005
Increase 50% +
  Georgia
14.9%
2007
   
Not known
  Germany
17.5%
2007
8,200,689
2008
Decrease 1-10%
  Ghana
5%
2004
360,545
2005
Increase 50% +
  Greece
280%
2009
650,000
2007
Increase 1-10%
  Grenada
56%
2008
   
Not known
  Guatemala
3%
2009
   
Not known
  Guinea    
167,000
2008
Increase 1-10%
  Guinea-Bissau        
Not known
  Guyana
20%
2008
   
Not known
  Haiti
5%
2008
   
Not known
  Honduras
8%
2008
   
Not known
  Hungary
19.6%
2007
976,000
2004
Increase 1-10%
  Iceland
80%
2008
129,619
2003
Increase 10-25%
  India
2.4%
2005
41,921,636
2002
Increase 25-50%
  Indonesia
3.6%
2006
3,400,000
2006
Stability +/- 1%
  Iran        
Not known
  Iraq        
Not known
  Ireland
34%
2009
632,035
2008
Increase 10-25%
  Israel
25%
2006
650,000
2005
Decrease 10-25%
  Italy
33%
2009
12,000,000
2007
Increase 1-10%
  Jamaica
20%
2008
   
Not known
  Japan
18.5%
2009
10,078,000
2009
Decrease 10-25%
  Jordan
10%
2008
229,814
2001
Not known
  Kazakhstan
31%
2002
   
Not known
  Kenya
33%
2006
600,000
2006
Increase 10-25%
  Kiribati
10%
2006
800
2006
Not known
  Kosovo        
Not known
  Kuwait
2.3%
2002
80,000
2008
Increase 50% +
  Kyrgyzstan
94%
2008
   
Not known
  Laos
1%
2008
12,111
2008
Not known
  Latvia
11.6%
2007
180,000
2006
Stability +/- 1%
  Lebanon
6%
2008
   
Not known
  Lesotho    
25,070
2008
Decrease 10-25%
  Liberia        
Not known
  Libya    
500,000
2005
Not known
  Liechtenstein
3%
2008
   
Not known
  Lithuania
10%
2008
200,000
2006
Not known
  Luxembourg
39%
2008
150,000
2007
Increase 25-50%
  Macedonia,
  Republic of
50%
2008
   
Not known
  Madagascar
10%
2008
   
Not known
  Malawi
2.7%
2006
52,000
2005
Decrease 25-50%
  Malaysia
7.8%
2010
801,604
2005
Increase 1-10%
  Maldives
0%
2009
0
2009
No unions
  Mali    
137,010
2005
Not known
  Malta
65%
2008
86,000
2007
Decrease 1-10%
  Marshall Islands
0%
2008
0
2008
No unions
  Mauritania
22.5%
2002
   
Not known
  Mauritius
14.8%
2007
115,000
2004
Not known
  Mexico
11.2%
2008
4,000,000
2002
Not known
  Moldova
26.8%
2007
   
Not known
  Monaco
5%
2008
   
Not known
  Mongolia
25%
2008
209,000
2008
Decrease 25-50%
  Montenegro
45%
     
Not known
  Morocco
5.5%
2008
650,000
2003
Not known
  Mozambique        
Not known
  Myanmar        
Not known
  Namibia
26%
 
140,700
2004
Increase 25-50%
  Nauru
0%
2008
0
2008
No unions
  Nepal
7.5%
2008
500,000
2002
Not known
  Netherlands
17.7%
2007
1,898,000
2008
Decrease 1-10%
  New Zealand
17.2%
2008
373,327
2008
Increase 10-25%
  Nicaragua
2.1%
2006
   
Not known
  Niger
1.1%
2008
   
Not known
  Nigeria    
8,000,000
2008
Increase 50% +
  North Korea        
Not known
  Norway
65.5%
2006
1,576,255
2008
Increase 1-10%
  Oman        
Not known
  Pakistan
3%
2004
1,000,000
2002
Not known
  Palau
0%
2008
0
2008
No unions
  Palestinian
  territories
       
Not known
  Panama
11%
2005
   
Not known
  Papua New Guinea    
125,000
2008
Increase 50% +
  Paraguay
10%
2008
160,000
2008
Increase 25-50%
  Peru
7%
2008
415,000
2001
Not known
  Philippines
1.7%
2007
1,900,000
2008
Increase 50% +
  Poland
14%
2008
1,775,892
2008
Decrease 10-25%
  Portugal
14.7%
2003
854,000
2008
Increase 1-10%
  Puerto Rico  
14%
2002
   
Not known
  Qatar        
Not known
  Romania
21.4%
2007
2,120,000
2008
Increase 1-10%
  Russian Federation    
32,700,000
2005
Not known
  Rwanda
25%
2008
   
Not known
  Saint Kitts and Nevis
10%
2008
   
Not known
  Saint Lucia
25%
2007
   
Not known
  Saint Vincent and
  the Grenadines
11%
2007
   
Not known
  Samoa        
Not known
  San Marino
50%
2008
10,500
2008
Not known
  São Tomé and
  Príncipe
   
5,000
2005
Not known
  Saudi Arabia
0%
2000
 
2000
Not known
  Senegal
2%
2008
   
Not known
  Serbia
19%
2007
950,000
2003
Not known
  Seychelles        
Not known
  Sierra Leone
3.6%
2008
24,085
2005
Not known
  Singapore
20%
2007
500,000
2007
Increase 50% +
  Slovak Republic
13.6%
2007
379,041
2008
Decrease 50% +
  Slovenia
30%
2008
374,400
2008
Increase 1-10%
  Solomon Islands        
Not known
  Somalia        
Not known
  South Africa
24.9%
2008
3,400,000
2008
Increase 10-25%
  South Korea
6.7%
2006
1,500,000
2007
Decrease 1-10%
  Spain
11.9%
2006
2,602,028
2008
Increase 25-50%
  Sri Lanka
25%
2004
1,220,000
2005
Increase 10-25%
  Sudan    
800,000
2007
Not known
  Suriname
60%
2008
   
Not known
  Swaziland    
36,000
2005
Not known
  Sweden
65.8%
2007
3,318,400
2008
Decrease 10-25%
  Switzerland
18.6%
2007
792,498
2002
Increase 10-25%
  Syria
16.9%
2003
808,419
2008
Increase 50% +
  Taiwan
28%
2008
2,986,804
2006
Increase 1-10%
  Tajikistan
63%
2008
1,300,000
2008
Decrease 10-25%
  Tanzania
2.2%
2009
373,939
2005
Increase 1-10%
  Thailand
1.4%
2007
516,000
2006
Not known
  Togo    
73,371
2005
Not known
  Tonga        
Not known
  Trinidad and Tobago
20%
2005
   
Not known
  Tunisia    
539,000
2006
Increase 1-10%
  Turkey
14.6%
2007
2,901,943
2004
Increase 10-25%
  Turkmenistan        
Not known
  Tuvalu    
1,200
2008
Not known
  Uganda
1.1%
2005
855,000
2008
Increase 50% +
  Ukraine        
Not known
  United Arab Emirates
0%
2004
0
2002
No unions
  United Kingdom
27.4%
2009
7,100,000
2008
Decrease 1-10%
  United States
12.3%
2009
15,300,000
2009
Decrease 1-10%
  Uruguay
13.3%
2006
   
Not known
  Uzbekistan        
Not known
  Vanuatu
40%
2006
1,900
2008
Increase 50% +
  Vatican City      
320
2007
Not known
  Venezuela
11%
2008
   
Not known
  Vietnam    
6,200,000
2008
Increase 1-10%
  Western Sahara        
Not known
  Yemen        
Not known
  Zambia    
232,375
2005
Increase 1-10%
  Zimbabwe
15%
2004
165,000
2000
Not known

Source: New Unionism Network global union database (extracted 25 March 2010).

 

Top levels of union density, by country

   Country
Rights
report
Union density (1)
Year
Total
membership (2)
Year
General trend
post 2000
(3)
  Kyrgyzstan
94%
2008
   
Not known
  Belarus
90.5%
2007
   
Not known
  China, People's
  Republic of
90%
2000
212,000,000
2008
Increase 50% +
  Iceland
80%
2008
129,619
2003
Increase 10-25%
  Denmark
72%
2008
1,828,700
2008
Decrease 1-10%
  Cuba
71%
2008
3,920,000
2006
Not known
  Cyprus
70%
2008
205,852
2008
Increase 10-25%
  Algeria
66%
2008
1,532,968
2006
Increase 10-25%
  Sweden
72%
2007
3,318,400
2008
Decrease 10-25%
  Norway
65.5%
2006
     
  Malta
65%
2008
86,000
2007
Decrease 1-10%
  Finland
64%
2006
2,100,000
2007
Increase 1-10%
  Tajikistan
63%
2008
1,300,000
2008
Decrease 10-25%
  Antigua and Barbuda
60%
2007
10,000
2007
Not known
  Suriname
60%
2008
   
Not known
  Belgium
58%
2008
3,300,000
2005
Increase 10-25%
  Grenada
56%
2008
   
Not known
  Croatia
50%
2008
500,000
2005
Not known
  Macedonia,
  Republic of
50%
2008
   
Not known
  San Marino
50%
2008
10,500
2008
Not known

Source: New Unionism Network global union database (extracted 6 February 2010).

 

 

Observations
 

Union growth
As we have noted elsewhere, the best data we have been able to find seems to show that union decline (viewed internationally) has come to an end, when looked at internationally. Indeed, the movement appears to be entering a fourth wave of growth. We have collected comparable data on union membership (post-2000) for 80 countries. Between them, these cover by far the majority of the world's workers. Of these countries:

     •   51 experienced union growth over the period measured
     •   23 experienced union decline over the period measured
     •   A further 6 either experienced stability (meaning less than 1% change), or do not have any unions.
      
  (figures taken at 24 January 2010)
It is important to note, however, that a 5% growth in membership may be offset than an even higher growth in the number of people employed. Conversely, where the employed labour force declines, 'union density' increases. The figures above do not attempt to capture these trends.


Union density and influence

From Table Two, it seems clear that high levels of union density represent a poor predictor of influence. This can be confirmed by checking rights reports against density figures. By contrast, consider the strong influence of unions in countries like France, Spain and Germany (8%, 15% and 20% density, respectively). So what other factors make unions influential? We will be doing more work on defining and measuring union influence in 2010.






Notes
  

1]  Density
One must avoid comparing union density figures! Some of the figures cited above represent the number of union members as a percentage of those eligible to join; others refer to members as a percentage of employed workers. Some exclude certain sections of the workforce (eg informal economy workers, the military, the agricultural sector); others include members who have not paid union fees in years.
Contact us for source references if you want to know how a particular figure(s) was derived.



2]  Membership
We have tried to find data which applies the standard definition: 'fee-paying, employed members' (ie excluding retirees, students and the unemployed), however there are times when this data is not available. Again, this makes meaningful comparisons difficult. It also means that we must resist any temptation to produce totals. C
ontact us for source references if you want to know where a particular figure(s) was found, or how it has been derived.



3]  General trend
This should not be taken as a standard and comparable measure of change from the year 2000 up to the cited date. This is what we are aiming for, over time, but there are many countries for whom no so such data series is available. What we have done is to collect as much information as possible and then, where comparable sources exist over time (for years since 2000), we have measured the rate of change.
Contact us for source references if you want to know how a particular figure(s) was derived.



4]  Rights reports
There are several potential sources for annual reports on rights. Wherever possible we have cited the most recent International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) report. The US State Department reports for 2008 are better than previous years; in the past more country reports were subject to bias, and until last year much data was simply repeated, year after year, without acknowledging the fact that it was no longer current. Union membership figures from both sources are generally poor, and are often inconsistent, though in saying this we acknowledge the inherent difficulties in collecting such figures.

 

  

 

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