Limits on Virginia workers’ right to unionize benefit the rich: Union membership and share of income going to the top 10%, 1978–2024
| Year | Virginia share of income going to the top 10% | Virginia union membership rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | 30.9% | 12.6% |
| 1979 | 30.6% | 13.7% |
| 1980 | 30.6% | 13.3% |
| 1981 | 31.6% | |
| 1982 | 32.6% | |
| 1983 | 34.3% | 11.7% |
| 1984 | 33.9% | 10.7% |
| 1985 | 35.1% | 9.7% |
| 1986 | 37.4% | 8.9% |
| 1987 | 33.5% | 9.0% |
| 1988 | 35.7% | 9.2% |
| 1989 | 35.2% | 9.1% |
| 1990 | 34.8% | 8.3% |
| 1991 | 34.9% | 8.7% |
| 1992 | 36.4% | 9.3% |
| 1993 | 36.5% | 8.6% |
| 1994 | 37.0% | 7.3% |
| 1995 | 38.3% | 6.7% |
| 1996 | 39.5% | 6.8% |
| 1997 | 38.6% | 6.5% |
| 1998 | 41.4% | 6.8% |
| 1999 | 42.4% | 6.6% |
| 2000 | 42.2% | 5.6% |
| 2001 | 40.1% | 5.3% |
| 2002 | 39.5% | 6.0% |
| 2003 | 39.6% | 6.5% |
| 2004 | 40.4% | 5.3% |
| 2005 | 41.3% | 4.8% |
| 2006 | 42.4% | 4.0% |
| 2007 | 41.9% | 3.7% |
| 2008 | 41.0% | 4.1% |
| 2009 | 40.1% | 4.7% |
| 2010 | 42.0% | 4.6% |
| 2011 | 42.0% | 4.6% |
| 2012 | 43.0% | 4.4% |
| 2013 | 42.3% | 5.0% |
| 2014 | 43.6% | 4.9% |
| 2015 | 43.8% | 5.4% |
| 2016 | 44.1% | 4.3% |
| 2017 | 44.4% | 4.6% |
| 2018 | 45.2% | 4.3% |
| 2019 | 46.6% | 4.0% |
| 2020 | 48.5% | 4.4% |
| 2021 | 50.3% | 4.8% |
| 2022 | 48.7% | 3.7% |
| 2023 | 4.3% | |
| 2024 | 5.2% | |
| 2025 | 5.3% |
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 Current Population Survey. Income represents fiscal (i.e., taxed) income and does not include any form of tax-exempt or nonreported earnings.
Source: Authors' analysis of Economic Policy Institute. 2026. Current Population Survey, May Supplement (1978–1980) and Outgoing Rotation Group (1983–2025) Extracts, Version 2026.1.14, https://microdata.epi.org. Income inequality (share of income to top 10%) data are from the U.S. State‑Level Income Inequality project.
This chart appears in:
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