According to an annual report from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), union membership in 2012 declined to 11.3 percent of wage and salary workers. This figure is down from 11.8 percent in 2011. The total number of unionized wage and salary workers stood at 14.4 million – half in the public sector and half in the private sector – another number that is on the decline.
The report found that unionized full-time wage and salary workers had earned median weekly paychecks of $943, compared to that of non-union members, who posted $742 in weekly earnings.
The state of New York had the highest rate of union membership at 23.2 percent, while North Carolina had the lowest rate of 2.9 percent.
Unions have been harshly criticized. Two of the big union stories as of late: the right-to-work fiasco that took place in Michigan, while the other story included the unions taking the blame for the closure of Hostess because of their demands, which included wanting more and more and more.
Of course, you can’t criticize unions because otherwise you’re a “fascist!” Just take a look at the video below.
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