Figure B
Union density is twice as high in abortion-protected states compared with abortion-restricted states: Percent of workers represented by a union as a member or covered by a contract, 2024
| Abortion status | Union Density |
|---|---|
| Abortion-protected | 14.3% |
| Abortion-restricted | 7.0% |
Notes: See Figure A for state abortion status groupings. Union density is defined as the share of workers in the state who are represented by a union, including union members and other workers who are covered by a union contract, based on the variable “union” from EPI extracts of CPS-ORG microdata. We average union density data across 2022 to 2024 for each state to give a more accurate estimate of states’ typical unionization rates over time.
Source: EPI analysis of 2022–2024 Current Population Survey Outgoing Rotation Group (CPS-ORG) microdata for all workers ages 16 and older; abortion status categories from Table 1.
This chart appears in:
- The economics of abortion bans: Abortion bans, low wages, and public underinvestment are interconnected economic policy tools to disempower and control workers
- Unions can play a critical role in safeguarding reproductive freedom: Union density is twice as high in abortion-protected states compared with abortion-restricted states
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