Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Tweet[IWS] CEPR: THE CHANGING FACE of LABOR 1983-2008 [November 2009]
IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________
Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR)
The Changing Face of Labor, 1983-2008
John Schmitt and Kris Warner
November 2009
http://www.cepr.net/documents/publications/changing-face-of-labor-2009-11.pdf
[full-text, 24 pages]
Executive Summary
Over the last quarter century, the unionized workforce has changed dramatically. In 1983, over half
of all union workers were white men, few union workers had a college degree, and almost one-third
were in manufacturing.
In 2008:
Over 45 percent of unionized workers were women, up from 35 percent in 1983. At current
growth rates, women will be the majority of unionized workers before 2020.
Over one-third (37.5 percent) of union workers had a four-year college degree or more, up
from only one-in-five (20.3 percent) in 1983. Almost half (49.4 percent) of union women
had at least a four-year college degree.
Only about one-in-ten unionized workers was in manufacturing, down from almost 30
percent in 1983.
Just under half (48.9 percent) of unionized workers were in the public sector, up from
about one-third (34.4 percent) in 1983. About 61 percent of unionized women are in the
public sector, compared to about 38 percent for men.
Latinos were 12.2 percent of the unionized workforce, up from 5.8 percent in 1983. Asian
Pacific Americans were 4.6 percent of union workers, up from 2.5 percent in 1989.
About one-in-eight (12.6 percent) of union workers was an immigrant, up from one in
twelve (8.4 percent) in 1994, the earliest year for which consistent data are available.
Black workers were about 13 percent of the total unionized workforce, a share that has held
fairly steady since 1983, despite a large decline in the representation of whites over the same
period.
Unionized workers were most likely to live in the Northeast (27.4 percent), the Midwest
(25.7 percent), and the Pacific states (22.7 percent). A smaller share of the unionized
workforce lives in the South (18.7 percent) and the West (5.6 percent). Since 2006,
unionization rates have been increasing in the Pacific states (up from 17.6 percent in 2006
to 19.9 percent in 2008), the Northeast (up from 19.5 percent to 20.3 percent), and the
West (up from 10.1 percent to 10.7 percent). Over the same period, unionization rates have
been basically flat in the Midwest (at about 15.5 percent) and in the South (at 7.0-7.2
percent).
The typical union worker was 45 years old, or about 7 years older than in 1983. (The typical
employee, regardless of union status, was 41 years old, also about 7 years older than in
1983.)
CEPR The Changing Face of Labor, 1983-2008 2
The most heavily unionized age group was 55-64 year olds (18.4 percent of 55-64 year-old
workers are in a union). The least unionized age group was 16-24 year olds (5.7 percent).
More-educated workers were more likely to be unionized than less-educated workers, a
reversal from 25 years ago.
In rough terms, five of every ten union workers were in the public sector; one of every ten
was in manufacturing; and the remaining four of ten were in the private sector outside of
manufacturing.
These trends in the composition of the unionized workforce, in part, reflect similar shifts in the
workforce as a whole toward a greater share of women, Latinos, Asian Pacific Americans, and
older, more-educated workers and a shift out of manufacturing toward services.
Contents
Executive Summary........................................................................................................................................ 2
Introduction..................................................................................................................................................... 3
Unionized Workers Today ............................................................................................................................. 4
Gender ......................................................................................................................................................... 4
Race/Ethnicity............................................................................................................................................ 5
Race/Ethnicity and Gender....................................................................................................................... 8
Age..............................................................................................................................................................11
Education ..................................................................................................................................................13
Immigrant Status ......................................................................................................................................15
Manufacturing...........................................................................................................................................17
Public Sector .............................................................................................................................................18
Region ........................................................................................................................................................19
Conclusion .....................................................................................................................................................22
About the Authors
John Schmitt is a Senior Economist and Kris Warner is a Program Assistant at the Center for
Economic and Policy Research in Washington, D.C.
Acknowledgements
The Center for Economic and Policy Research gratefully acknowledges financial support from the
Public Welfare Foundation, the Arca Foundation, and the Ford Foundation.
[Thanks to Sabrina Pacifici of Bespacific.com for the tip].
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________
Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR)
The Changing Face of Labor, 1983-2008
John Schmitt and Kris Warner
November 2009
http://www.cepr.net/documents/publications/changing-face-of-labor-2009-11.pdf
[full-text, 24 pages]
Executive Summary
Over the last quarter century, the unionized workforce has changed dramatically. In 1983, over half
of all union workers were white men, few union workers had a college degree, and almost one-third
were in manufacturing.
In 2008:
Over 45 percent of unionized workers were women, up from 35 percent in 1983. At current
growth rates, women will be the majority of unionized workers before 2020.
Over one-third (37.5 percent) of union workers had a four-year college degree or more, up
from only one-in-five (20.3 percent) in 1983. Almost half (49.4 percent) of union women
had at least a four-year college degree.
Only about one-in-ten unionized workers was in manufacturing, down from almost 30
percent in 1983.
Just under half (48.9 percent) of unionized workers were in the public sector, up from
about one-third (34.4 percent) in 1983. About 61 percent of unionized women are in the
public sector, compared to about 38 percent for men.
Latinos were 12.2 percent of the unionized workforce, up from 5.8 percent in 1983. Asian
Pacific Americans were 4.6 percent of union workers, up from 2.5 percent in 1989.
About one-in-eight (12.6 percent) of union workers was an immigrant, up from one in
twelve (8.4 percent) in 1994, the earliest year for which consistent data are available.
Black workers were about 13 percent of the total unionized workforce, a share that has held
fairly steady since 1983, despite a large decline in the representation of whites over the same
period.
Unionized workers were most likely to live in the Northeast (27.4 percent), the Midwest
(25.7 percent), and the Pacific states (22.7 percent). A smaller share of the unionized
workforce lives in the South (18.7 percent) and the West (5.6 percent). Since 2006,
unionization rates have been increasing in the Pacific states (up from 17.6 percent in 2006
to 19.9 percent in 2008), the Northeast (up from 19.5 percent to 20.3 percent), and the
West (up from 10.1 percent to 10.7 percent). Over the same period, unionization rates have
been basically flat in the Midwest (at about 15.5 percent) and in the South (at 7.0-7.2
percent).
The typical union worker was 45 years old, or about 7 years older than in 1983. (The typical
employee, regardless of union status, was 41 years old, also about 7 years older than in
1983.)
CEPR The Changing Face of Labor, 1983-2008 2
The most heavily unionized age group was 55-64 year olds (18.4 percent of 55-64 year-old
workers are in a union). The least unionized age group was 16-24 year olds (5.7 percent).
More-educated workers were more likely to be unionized than less-educated workers, a
reversal from 25 years ago.
In rough terms, five of every ten union workers were in the public sector; one of every ten
was in manufacturing; and the remaining four of ten were in the private sector outside of
manufacturing.
These trends in the composition of the unionized workforce, in part, reflect similar shifts in the
workforce as a whole toward a greater share of women, Latinos, Asian Pacific Americans, and
older, more-educated workers and a shift out of manufacturing toward services.
Contents
Executive Summary........................................................................................................................................ 2
Introduction..................................................................................................................................................... 3
Unionized Workers Today ............................................................................................................................. 4
Gender ......................................................................................................................................................... 4
Race/Ethnicity............................................................................................................................................ 5
Race/Ethnicity and Gender....................................................................................................................... 8
Age..............................................................................................................................................................11
Education ..................................................................................................................................................13
Immigrant Status ......................................................................................................................................15
Manufacturing...........................................................................................................................................17
Public Sector .............................................................................................................................................18
Region ........................................................................................................................................................19
Conclusion .....................................................................................................................................................22
About the Authors
John Schmitt is a Senior Economist and Kris Warner is a Program Assistant at the Center for
Economic and Policy Research in Washington, D.C.
Acknowledgements
The Center for Economic and Policy Research gratefully acknowledges financial support from the
Public Welfare Foundation, the Arca Foundation, and the Ford Foundation.
[Thanks to Sabrina Pacifici of Bespacific.com for the tip].
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************
# posted by SBasefsky : 8:32 AM
