Attacks on Michigan workers’ right to unionize benefit the rich: Union membership and share of income going to the top 10%, 1978–2022
| Year | Michigan union membership rate | Michigan share of income going to the top 10% |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 34.9% | 33.5% |
| 1979 | 37.3% | 34.2% |
| 1980 | 34.6% | 35.2% |
| 1981 | 35.3% | |
| 1982 | 36.6% | |
| 1983 | 30.4% | 35.1% |
| 1984 | 29.1% | 36.0% |
| 1985 | 28.4% | 36.8% |
| 1986 | 28.3% | 38.8% |
| 1987 | 26.6% | 37.3% |
| 1988 | 26.6% | 39.1% |
| 1989 | 26.0% | 38.8% |
| 1990 | 25.3% | 37.8% |
| 1991 | 24.6% | 38.7% |
| 1992 | 25.5% | 39.5% |
| 1993 | 24.4% | 39.8% |
| 1994 | 23.8% | 40.0% |
| 1995 | 23.7% | 40.7% |
| 1996 | 24.0% | 41.4% |
| 1997 | 23.1% | 41.7% |
| 1998 | 21.6% | 43.2% |
| 1999 | 21.5% | 42.2% |
| 2000 | 20.8% | 41.0% |
| 2001 | 21.9% | 40.1% |
| 2002 | 21.1% | 41.3% |
| 2003 | 21.9% | 42.1% |
| 2004 | 21.6% | 42.5% |
| 2005 | 20.5% | 42.8% |
| 2006 | 19.6% | 44.0% |
| 2007 | 19.5% | 45.7% |
| 2008 | 18.8% | 45.5% |
| 2009 | 18.8% | 45.8% |
| 2010 | 16.5% | 47.6% |
| 2011 | 17.5% | 47.3% |
| 2012 | 16.6% | 49.6% |
| 2013 | 16.2% | 48.4% |
| 2014 | 14.5% | 48.6% |
| 2015 | 15.2% | 48.1% |
| 2016 | 14.5% | 50.3% |
| 2017 | 15.6% | 49.7% |
| 2018 | 14.5% | 50.5% |
| 2019 | 13.7% | |
| 2020 | 15.2% | |
| 2021 | 13.3% | |
| 2022 | 14.0% |
Note: Union data refer to workers 16 and older. Self-employed and self-incorporated workers are excluded from the sample. Union membership data in 1981 are suppressed due to insufficient sample size. Union membership data are not available in the 1982 CPS.
Source: EPI analysis of Economic Policy Institute. 2023. Current Population Survey, May Supplement (1978-1980) and Outgoing Rotation Group (1983-2022) Extracts, Version 1.0.38, https://microdata.epi.org. Income inequality (share of income to top 10%) data are from the World Income Database.