Private-sector unionization has declined as a direct result of anti-union policies: Union coverage rates by sector, 1973–2016

Private sector Public sector
1973 25.8% 30.3%
1974 25.0% 31.8%
1975 23.1% 32.1%
1976 22.9% 32.7%
1977 23.3% 40.1%
1978 22.5% 40.5%
1979 23.2% 44.2%
1980 21.7% 43.4%
1981 20.4% 41.6%
1982 19.5% 43.6%
1983 18.5% 45.5%
1984 17.0% 43.9%
1985 15.9% 43.1%
1986 15.2% 43.2%
1987 14.4% 42.5%
1988 14.0% 43.5%
1989 13.5% 43.5%
1990 13.2% 43.3%
1991 12.9% 43.3%
1992 12.5% 43.2%
1993 12.1% 43.8%
1994 11.9% 44.7%
1995 11.3% 43.5%
1996 11.0% 43.0%
1997 10.6% 42.3%
1998 10.3% 42.5%
1999 10.2% 42.1%
2000 9.8% 42.0%
2001 9.7% 41.7%
2002 9.3% 41.9%
2003 9.0% 41.5%
2004 8.6% 40.7%
2005 8.5% 40.5%
2006 8.1% 40.1%
2007 8.2% 39.8%
2008 8.4% 40.7%
2009 8.0% 41.1%
2010 7.7% 40.0%
2011 7.6% 40.7%
2012 7.3% 39.6%
2013 7.5% 38.7%
2014 7.4% 39.2%
2015 7.4% 39.0%
2016 7.3% 37.9%

Note: Coverage rates are based on data for all workers age 16 and up.

Source: EPI analysis of data from the Union Membership and Coverage Database (unionstats.com), compiled by Barry Hirsch and David Macpherson (posted February 11, 2017)

View the underlying data on epi.org.