Historically, Black workers have had much higher rates of union coverage than white workers—but the gap has narrowed as union coverage rates have declined: Union coverage by race, 1973–2021
| Date | White | Black | All |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 12.0% | 12.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020 | 12.3% | 13.6% | 12.1% |
| 2019 | 11.9% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2018 | 12.0% | 13.4% | 11.7% |
| 2017 | 12.2% | 13.6% | 11.9% |
| 2016 | 12.2% | 14.3% | 11.9% |
| 2015 | 12.5% | 14.2% | 12.3% |
| 2014 | 12.5% | 14.3% | 12.3% |
| 2013 | 12.6% | 14.9% | 12.4% |
| 2012 | 12.7% | 14.5% | 12.5% |
| 2011 | 13.3% | 14.9% | 13.0% |
| 2010 | 13.4% | 15.0% | 13.1% |
| 2009 | 13.8% | 15.3% | 13.6% |
| 2008 | 14.0% | 15.5% | 13.7% |
| 2007 | 13.5% | 15.7% | 13.3% |
| 2006 | 13.3% | 16.0% | 13.1% |
| 2005 | 13.7% | 16.5% | 13.7% |
| 2004 | 13.9% | 16.6% | 13.8% |
| 2003 | 14.2% | 18.1% | 14.3% |
| 2002 | 14.5% | 18.8% | 14.6% |
| 2001 | 14.7% | 18.7% | 14.8% |
| 2000 | 14.7% | 18.9% | 14.8% |
| 1999 | 15.1% | 19.2% | 15.3% |
| 1998 | 15.1% | 19.7% | 15.4% |
| 1997 | 15.4% | 20.1% | 15.6% |
| 1996 | 15.8% | 21.2% | 16.2% |
| 1995 | 16.1% | 22.2% | 16.7% |
| 1994 | 16.8% | 22.9% | 17.4% |
| 1993 | 17.0% | 23.5% | 17.6% |
| 1992 | 17.0% | 23.9% | 17.8% |
| 1991 | 17.4% | 24.1% | 18.1% |
| 1990 | 17.6% | 24.1% | 18.2% |
| 1989 | 17.8% | 25.3% | 18.6% |
| 1988 | 18.1% | 25.9% | 19.0% |
| 1987 | 18.4% | 25.4% | 19.2% |
| 1986 | 19.0% | 26.6% | 19.9% |
| 1985 | 19.5% | 27.4% | 20.5% |
| 1984 | 20.5% | 29.3% | 21.6% |
| 1983 | 22.2% | 31.7% | 23.3% |
| 1982 | 22.8% | 30.7% | 23.6% |
| 1981 | 23.4% | 29.7% | 24.0% |
| 1980 | 24.6% | 33.5% | 25.7% |
| 1979 | 25.8% | 36.3% | 27.0% |
| 1978 | 24.8% | 32.9% | 25.8% |
| 1977 | 25.5% | 34.0% | 26.5% |
| 1976 | 23.8% | 32.5% | 24.7% |
| 1975 | 24.0% | 31.6% | 24.8% |
| 1974 | 25.5% | 31.1% | 26.3% |
| 1973 | 25.6% | 32.2% | 26.6% |
Notes: The union coverage rate shows the percentage of the workforce that are members of unions and/or covered by a collective bargaining agreement. Race and ethnicity categories are mutually exclusive (i.e., white non-Hispanic, Black non-Hispanic, and all others).
Source: Economic Policy Institute, “Union Coverage” (data set), State of Working America Data Library, last updated March 2023.