UNIONS ARE IMPORTANT FOR YOUNG AND OLDER WORKERS

UNION MEMBERSHIP FOR VARIOUS AGE GROUPS, 1999
Membership as Percentage of Payrolls

 

Unions represent workers of all ages—from young workers just entering the workforce to older workers near retirement. In 1999, 8.3 million union members were between 25 and 44 years old, and 6.8 million members were 45 to 64 years old.

Workers ages 35-54 make up the largest portion of union members—60 percent. But more than 1 million union members are younger than 25, demonstrating firm support for union representation among young workers.

May not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment and Earnings, January 2000.
Prepared by the AFL-CIO.