Right-to-work laws weaken unions by eroding union membership: Union density in right-to-work and fair-share states
| State | Share of workers covered by collective bargaining | Number of workers covered | Share of private-sector workers covered | Share of public-sector workers covered | Year right-to-work law first enacted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 9.00% | 170,320 | 6.10% | 23.90% | 1953 |
| Alaska | 19.90% | 58,960 | 10.50% | 44.10% | n/a |
| Arizona | 5.50% | 150,556 | 3.30% | 19.70% | 1947 |
| Arkansas | 5.00% | 59,538 | 3.40% | 12.80% | 1947 |
| California | 17.50% | 2,795,362 | 10.10% | 57.20% | n/a |
| Colorado | 10.80% | 263,217 | 7.60% | 29.30% | n/a |
| Connecticut | 18.40% | 288,104 | 9.50% | 69.40% | n/a |
| Delaware | 13.30% | 55,682 | 7.60% | 47.40% | n/a |
| Florida | 7.10% | 574,112 | 3.40% | 30.60% | 1943 |
| Georgia | 4.90% | 209,845 | 3.20% | 15.50% | 1947 |
| Hawaii | 20.80% | 124,294 | 13.90% | 47.60% | n/a |
| Idaho | 6.70% | 46,544 | 4.20% | 21.60% | 1985 |
| Illinois | 15.30% | 856,590 | 10.20% | 52.70% | n/a |
| Indiana | 11.40% | 334,214 | 8.50% | 31.90% | 2012 |
| Iowa | 10.50% | 152,651 | 5.90% | 36.00% | 1947 |
| Kansas | 10.30% | 131,839 | 6.90% | 28.50% | 1958 |
| Kentucky | 13.40% | 228,348 | 11.10% | 25.60% | 2017 |
| Louisiana | 4.90% | 88,053 | 2.60% | 15.20% | 1976 |
| Maine | 13.50% | 76,828 | 5.10% | 58.10% | n/a |
| Maryland | 12.30% | 346,753 | 6.60% | 29.70% | n/a |
| Massachusetts | 12.90% | 406,933 | 6.90% | 54.20% | n/a |
| Michigan | 15.50% | 651,382 | 10.80% | 49.70% | 2012 |
| Minnesota | 15.10% | 387,652 | 8.80% | 49.30% | n/a |
| Mississippi | 8.10% | 89,463 | 6.20% | 15.50% | 1954 |
| Missouri | 10.70% | 289,945 | 8.00% | 27.50% | 2017 |
| Montana | 13.90% | 58,091 | 7.30% | 40.40% | n/a |
| Nebraska | 8.50% | 74,353 | 4.30% | 32.90% | 1947 |
| Nevada | 15.00% | 181,771 | 11.40% | 38.50% | 1952 |
| New Hampshire | 11.00% | 73,780 | 4.10% | 52.60% | n/a |
| New Jersey | 16.60% | 666,064 | 8.60% | 58.40% | n/a |
| New Mexico | 8.20% | 64,339 | 3.70% | 22.60% | n/a |
| New York | 25.20% | 2,074,805 | 16.20% | 70.20% | n/a |
| North Carolina | 4.10% | 174,064 | 2.40% | 14.50% | 1947 |
| North Dakota | 6.90% | 25,128 | 4.60% | 17.90% | 1947 |
| Ohio | 14.10% | 701,149 | 8.90% | 47.70% | n/a |
| Oklahoma | 6.50% | 96,963 | 4.00% | 17.30% | 2001 |
| Oregon | 15.80% | 266,599 | 9.70% | 53.60% | n/a |
| Pennsylvania | 12.70% | 725,365 | 7.80% | 52.40% | n/a |
| Rhode Island | 16.90% | 81,523 | 9.30% | 63.80% | n/a |
| South Carolina | 2.60% | 51,849 | 1.50% | 8.00% | 1954 |
| South Dakota | 7.00% | 26,344 | 3.50% | 24.60% | 1947 |
| Tennessee | 6.30% | 173,880 | 4.70% | 16.60% | 1947 |
| Texas | 5.30% | 605,612 | 3.00% | 18.50% | 1993 |
| Utah | 6.00% | 79,160 | 3.10% | 21.60% | 1955 |
| Vermont | 12.80% | 37,210 | 6.30% | 50.60% | n/a |
| Virginia | 6.00% | 226,434 | 3.80% | 14.50% | 1947 |
| Washington | 18.60% | 576,362 | 10.90% | 57.10% | n/a |
| Washington D.C. | 10.80% | 37,079 | 6.90% | 22.10% | n/a |
| West Virginia | 13.20% | 87,907 | 9.60% | 26.70% | 2016 |
| Wisconsin | 9.00% | 243,377 | 6.00% | 26.30% | 2015 |
| Wyoming | 7.30% | 18,180 | 5.40% | 12.60% | 1963 |
Notes: Union density is measured as share of workers covered by collective bargaining. Six states have right-to-work laws that were enacted in the last five years (in 2012 or later): Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.
Sources: The Union Membership and Coverage Database (www.unionstats.com), compiled by Barry Hirsch and David Macpherson (posted February 11, 2017), and Right-to-Work Resources, National Conference of State Legislatures, web page accessed August 22, 2017