Figure A3
Union membership and the unemployment rate, 1949–2017
| Year | Union membership | Unemployment rate (U-3) | Underemployment rate (U-6) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949 | 31.8% | 5.9% | |
| 1950 | 31.9% | 5.3% | |
| 1950 | 31.6% | ||
| 1951 | 31.7% | 3.3% | |
| 1952 | 32.0% | 3.0% | |
| 1953 | 32.5% | 2.9% | |
| 1954 | 32.3% | 5.5% | |
| 1955 | 31.8% | 4.4% | |
| 1956 | 31.4% | 4.1% | |
| 1957 | 31.2% | 4.3% | |
| 1958 | 30.3% | 6.8% | |
| 1959 | 29.0% | 5.5% | |
| 1960 | 28.6% | 5.5% | |
| 1961 | 28.5% | 6.7% | |
| 1962 | 30.4% | 5.5% | |
| 1963 | 30.2% | 5.7% | |
| 1964 | 30.2% | 5.2% | |
| 1965 | 30.1% | 4.5% | |
| 1966 | 29.6% | 3.8% | |
| 1967 | 29.9% | 3.8% | |
| 1968 | 29.5% | 3.6% | |
| 1969 | 28.7% | 3.5% | |
| 1970 | 29.6% | 4.9% | |
| 1971 | 29.1% | 5.9% | |
| 1972 | 28.8% | 5.6% | |
| 1973 | 28.5% | 4.9% | |
| 1974 | 28.3% | 5.6% | |
| 1975 | 28.9% | 8.5% | |
| 1976 | 27.9% | 7.7% | |
| 1977 | 26.2% | 7.1% | |
| 1978 | 25.1% | 6.1% | |
| 1979 | 24.5% | 5.8% | |
| 1980 | 23.2% | 7.1% | |
| 1981 | 22.6% | 7.6% | |
| 1982 | 21.9% | 9.7% | |
| 1983 | 20.7% | 9.6% | |
| 1984 | 18.8% | 7.5% | |
| 1985 | 18.0% | 7.2% | |
| 1986 | 17.5% | 7.0% | |
| 1987 | 17.0% | 6.2% | |
| 1988 | 16.8% | 5.5% | |
| 1989 | 16.4% | 5.3% | |
| 1990 | 16.0% | 5.6% | |
| 1991 | 16.0% | 6.8% | |
| 1992 | 15.7% | 7.5% | |
| 1993 | 15.7% | 6.9% | |
| 1994 | 15.5% | 6.1% | 10.9% |
| 1995 | 14.9% | 5.6% | 10.1% |
| 1996 | 14.5% | 5.4% | 9.7% |
| 1997 | 14.1% | 4.9% | 8.9% |
| 1998 | 13.9% | 4.5% | 8.0% |
| 1999 | 13.9% | 4.2% | 7.4% |
| 2000 | 13.4% | 4.0% | 7.0% |
| 2001 | 13.5% | 4.7% | 8.1% |
| 2002 | 13.3% | 5.8% | 9.6% |
| 2003 | 12.9% | 6.0% | 10.1% |
| 2004 | 12.5% | 5.5% | 9.6% |
| 2005 | 12.5% | 5.1% | 8.9% |
| 2006 | 12.0% | 4.6% | 8.2% |
| 2007 | 12.1% | 4.6% | 8.3% |
| 2008 | 12.4% | 5.8% | 10.5% |
| 2009 | 12.3% | 9.3% | 16.2% |
| 2010 | 11.9% | 9.6% | 16.7% |
| 2011 | 11.8% | 8.9% | 15.9% |
| 2012 | 11.2% | 8.1% | 14.7% |
| 2013 | 11.2% | 7.4% | 13.8% |
| 2014 | 11.1% | 6.2% | 12.0% |
| 2015 | 11.1% | 5.3% | 10.4% |
| 2016 | 10.7% | 4.9% | 9.6% |
| 2017 | 10.7% | 4.4% | 8.5% |
Note: The unemployment rate (U-3) represents the share of the workforce who are actively seeking employment. The underemployment rate (U-6) represents the share who are unemployed, marginally attached to labor force (not actively looking for a job, but have in the past year), or part time for economic reasons (would like to work full-time).
Source: EPI analysis of Current Population Survey Outgoing Rotation Group data and microdata, and Labor Research Association data
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