Assignment Prompt & Instructions
Instructions attached
Also attached some readings you can use as reference
– ## Mid.pdf
– ## TheStateofPublicSectorEmploymentandUnionizationintheU.S..pdf
– FreyALRProjectTheNationalLaborRelationsAct1.pdf
– Ch7UnOrgandBargStruc1.pdf
– TrumpsNLRBpurgeisaboutwaymorethancrushingunions.1.pdf
**## Mid.pdf**
Your essay should be between 1000 to 1100 words and use citations and a
bibliography using MLA. To receive a good grade on your essay, please make use
of course materials, readings, video's etc. Outside research is encouraged but
not required.
Question: What tools do employers have to help prevent their employees from
organizing into unions and what if anything can workers and their unions do to counter
these employer efforts.
Resources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtxITylE73U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYqcIVLC3D0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnBBAJrQem4
https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/04/cal-state-underg
rad-unions/
https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/02/14/despite-pleas-for-veto-utah-gov-cox-signs-bill
-banning-public-unions-from-collective-bargaining/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvrldZlUwe0
https://virginiamercury.com/2023/01/16/in-virginia-patchwork-of-ordinances-makes-publi
c-sector-organizing-a-maze/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nESQX_qTZzA
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtxITylE73U](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtxITylE73U)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYqcIVLC3D0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYqcIVLC3D0)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnBBAJrQem4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnBBAJrQem4)
[https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/04/cal-state-undergrad-unions/](https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/04/cal-state-undergrad-unions/)
[https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/04/cal-state-undergrad-unions/](https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/04/cal-state-undergrad-unions/)
[https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/02/14/despite-pleas-for-veto-utah-gov-cox-signs-bill-banning-public-unions-from-collective-bargaining/](https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/02/14/despite-pleas-for-veto-utah-gov-cox-signs-bill-banning-public-unions-from-collective-bargaining/)
[https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/02/14/despite-pleas-for-veto-utah-gov-cox-signs-bill-banning-public-unions-from-collective-bargaining/](https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/02/14/despite-pleas-for-veto-utah-gov-cox-signs-bill-banning-public-unions-from-collective-bargaining/)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvrldZlUwe0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvrldZlUwe0)
[https://virginiamercury.com/2023/01/16/in-virginia-patchwork-of-ordinances-makes-public-sector-organizing-a-maze/](https://virginiamercury.com/2023/01/16/in-virginia-patchwork-of-ordinances-makes-public-sector-organizing-a-maze/)
[https://virginiamercury.com/2023/01/16/in-virginia-patchwork-of-ordinances-makes-public-sector-organizing-a-maze/](https://virginiamercury.com/2023/01/16/in-virginia-patchwork-of-ordinances-makes-public-sector-organizing-a-maze/)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nESQX_qTZzA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nESQX_qTZzA)
**## TheStateofPublicSectorEmploymentandUnionizationintheU.S..pdf**
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 1 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
The State of Public Sector Employment and
Unionization in the U.S.
An analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data
SEP 25, 2024
2 Share
Since 2020, public sector employment has been on the rise, exceeding pre-pandemic
levels for the <rst time in 2023. The union membership rate of government employees
continues to be far greater than that of other workers: last year, 32.5 percent of public
sector workers were in a union as opposed to 6.0 percent of those in the private sector.
However, the addition of new jobs coincides with dropping public sector union density
over the past decade.
Although many government employees already have access to unconventional bene<ts
such as student loan forgiveness and Hexible work schedules (along with generous
health insurance and retirement plans), unionized government workers experience
better pay and bene<ts than their nonunion counterparts. Pandemic-era funding
sources are coming to an end, and though much of this funding was used for one-time
expenditures, state and local governments especially will be operating on tighter
budgets than in previous years. Developing stronger unions in the public sector will be
a key step in preventing layoNs and protecting the security oNered by jobs in public
service.
JULIA TACHE
2
How Many Public Sector Workers Are There?
[https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment/comments](https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment/comments)
javascript:void(0)
[https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/union2.pdf](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/union2.pdf)
[https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2024/07/15/state-budgets-are-downsizing](https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2024/07/15/state-budgets-are-downsizing)
[https://substack.com/@tidyverses](https://substack.com/@tidyverses)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 2 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
Over 23 million people were employed by federal, state, and local governments by the
end of 2023, surpassing 22.9 million in February of 2020 and accounting for nearly 15
percent of U.S. employment. Although growth in most sectors has slowed,
employment increased in the public sector in 2023 by a greater amount than in 2022
(709,000 jobs added compared to 299,000). Job gains were led by local governments,
which added 351,000 jobs last year. Preliminary numbers for August 2024 indicate that
the public sector has added 263,000 people to the payroll this year so far, totaling 23.3
million.
As hiring cooled in other areas, government sectors may have been able to hire more
workers who would have previously opted to enter the private sector. Government
employment provides bene<ts and security typically not found in other industries with
higher salaries for commensurate positions, a trade-oN more workers seem to be
[https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2024/article/employment-continues-to-expand-in-2023-though-at-a-slower-pace-than-in-the-previous-2-years.htm](https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2024/article/employment-continues-to-expand-in-2023-though-at-a-slower-pace-than-in-the-previous-2-years.htm)
[https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2024/employment-in-government-rose-by-709000-in-2023.htm#:~:text=Employment%20growth%20in%20government%20accelerated,by%20209%2C000%20in%20December%202023.](https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2024/employment-in-government-rose-by-709000-in-2023.htm#:~:text=Employment%20growth%20in%20government%20accelerated,by%20209%2C000%20in%20December%202023.)
[https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/us-job-growth-uneven-as-government-education-sectors-dominate-payroll-gains-81131852](https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/us-job-growth-uneven-as-government-education-sectors-dominate-payroll-gains-81131852)
[https://www.businessinsider.com/federal-state-government-jobs-trending-tiktok-2024-2](https://www.businessinsider.com/federal-state-government-jobs-trending-tiktok-2024-2)
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F474a118b-6c2e-48e8-8a98-e8b9b1541aae_2700x1500.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F474a118b-6c2e-48e8-8a98-e8b9b1541aae_2700x1500.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 3 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
willing to make. New initiatives taken on at the federal level in climate, infrastructure,
and manufacturing may be luring individuals to take on roles created by new programs
as well. Despite increases in government employment, many vacancies remain un<lled
especially at the state and local level, impacting the ability of public service workers to
carry out their operations.
Median national annual salaries of federal, state, and local government workers in
2022 (in 2024 dollars) were $81,670, $58,548, and $58,335, respectively, according to an
analysis of Current Population’s Survey (CPS) Annual Social and Economic
Supplement data. Segmenting employment sectors by race using CPS monthly data
shows that a larger share of Black workers are employed by the public sector compared
Public Sector Worker Characteristics
ThepublicsectorhasthehighestshareofBlackworkers
Percentageofworkersinsectorofemployment,byrace(2023)
Nonprofit PublicSector PrivateSector
78.3%
White 14.4%
7.3%
75.1%
Black 17.7%
7.2%
81.7%
Asian/PacificIslander 11.5%
6.8%
85•4%
Hispanic 10.3%
4-3%
77.6%
TwoorMoreRaces/Other 15%
7.4%
Author'sAnalysisofCurrentPopulationSurvey(CPS)dataaccessedthroughIPUMS|github:julia-tache
[https://www.afscme.org/blog/public-sector-job-growth-is-increasing-but-many-vacancies-still-remain](https://www.afscme.org/blog/public-sector-job-growth-is-increasing-but-many-vacancies-still-remain)
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F49d26342-62c9-4550-be88-1f5589de1215_3000x1800.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F49d26342-62c9-4550-be88-1f5589de1215_3000x1800.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 4 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
to other races. As the Center for Economic and Policy Research noted, government
professions have been an important source of economic mobility for Black workers in
particular. Women are also more highly represented in the public versus private sector
and make up almost 57 percent of public sector jobs.
About a third of public sector jobs oNer workers added stability and bargaining power
through union representation. Unions that represent federal workers include the
American Federation of Government Employees and the National Treasury Employees
Union while state and local workers may be represented by the American Federation
of State, County and Municipal Employees, the International Federation of
Professional and Technical Engineers, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters,
[https://cepr.net/public-sector-unions-mean-middle-class-jobs-for-black-workers/](https://cepr.net/public-sector-unions-mean-middle-class-jobs-for-black-workers/)
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F38d1016d-468a-4798-a71f-ef7a2d607d69_2700x1800.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F38d1016d-468a-4798-a71f-ef7a2d607d69_2700x1800.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 5 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
and other groups. Local government jobs including teachers and <re<ghters tend to be
highly unionized with 38.3 percent of these workers represented by a union in 2023.
While public sector hiring is on an upward trend, the share of workers covered by a
union has been declining at all government levels. Unionization rates for all
government workers decreased by 3.2 percent from 2014 to 2023. Certain barriers to
unionization include state “right-to-work” laws and challenges independent
contractors face in joining bargaining units. Along with solid bene<ts already oNered
by government employment, union membership provides workers with tangible
advantages.
Public Sector Union Benefits
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4d3d3d1c-3229-4d3a-a042-695a94ed4cdf_2400x1500.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4d3d3d1c-3229-4d3a-a042-695a94ed4cdf_2400x1500.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 6 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
Public service unions have been instrumental in helping workers secure better wages
and fringe bene<ts. On average, public sector employees who are a member or at least
covered by a union earned 18 percent more than those who were not union members
(according to 2017-2022 data). A larger proportion of union members were part of a
pension plan, with 71.1 percent of unionized or covered public employees having
access to a plan as opposed to just over half of those without a union in 2022. In
general, government employers pay a higher percent of health insurance costs than
private sector employers. Public sector employees with a union are also more likely to
have health insurance premiums paid for in full: 20.8 percent compared to 17.6 percent
for nonunion employees in 2022.
[https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ebs2.t03.htm#ncs_nb_table3.f.1](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ebs2.t03.htm#ncs_nb_table3.f.1)
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F24aedb86-9267-4291-91d4-09911d856791_2400x1500.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F24aedb86-9267-4291-91d4-09911d856791_2400x1500.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 7 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Publicsectorunionmembersaremore
likelytobepartofapensionplan
Nopensionplan Notincludedinplan Includedinplan
0.00
MemberofUnion/Covered
71.8%
71.7%
71.4%
76.5%
71.9%
71.1%
0.25 0.50
NoUnionCoverage
54.2%
54•3%
54.8%
55%
54%
56.3%
0.500.75 1.000.00 0.25 0.75 1.00
Author'sAnalysisofCurrentPopulationSurvey(CPS)dataaccessedthroughIPUMS
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1fbc64d8-ac35-4f6a-8a69-75ec9c51e290_2400x1500.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1fbc64d8-ac35-4f6a-8a69-75ec9c51e290_2400x1500.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 8 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
Employees in public service are more likely to enjoy the bene<ts and protection of a
union than those in other sectors. More can be done to support the worker power of
federal, state, and local government employees who help build our roads and bridges,
distribute <nancial assistance, deliver our mail, and teach our children. Government
employees are excluded from the National Labor Relations Act, allowing states to
enact laws that prohibit members of the public sector from going on strike. Policy
changes at the federal, state, and local levels can help make it easier for these workers
to unionize and advocate for improved conditions.
[https://www.nlrb.gov/guidance/key-reference-materials/national-labor-relations-act](https://www.nlrb.gov/guidance/key-reference-materials/national-labor-relations-act)
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc1353c5e-d3ed-4a8d-bdc9-42da01b2eed8_2400x1800.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc1353c5e-d3ed-4a8d-bdc9-42da01b2eed8_2400x1800.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 9 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
State and local policymakers can pass reforms to allow all public sector employees to
unionize, not just those in certain professions like law enforcement. Statutes
preventing unionization such as “right-to-work” laws should be repealed. Direct-
bene<t pension coverage, a hallmark of public employment, must also be protected
and expanded. Employers could also collaborate with unions to develop training and
informational materials on existing bene<ts with the goal of increasing bene<t uptake.
Policymakers must also guarantee that any jobs created through government spending
should abide by standards such as prevailing wage laws and project labor agreements.
Declining union membership among public sector workers is a threat to the middle
class prosperity oNered by government employment. With budgets downsizing, union
protections will be crucial in preserving job stability, retention, fair wages, and
substantial bene<ts, while granting workers a voice on the job.
Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) Citation: Sarah Flood, Miriam King, Renae
Rodgers, Steven Ruggles, J. Robert Warren, Daniel Backman, Annie Chen, Grace Cooper,
Stephanie Richards, Megan Schouweiler, and Michael Westberry. IPUMS CPS: Version 11.0
[dataset]. Minneapolis, MN: IPUMS, 2023. https://doi.org/10.18128/D030.V11.0
Code: https://github.com/julia-tache/public_sector_union_eNect
2 Likes
[https://www.americanprogress.org/article/11-things-state-local-governments-can-build-worker-power/](https://www.americanprogress.org/article/11-things-state-local-governments-can-build-worker-power/)
[https://www.americanprogress.org/article/5-ways-state-local-governments-can-make-climate-jobs-good-jobs/](https://www.americanprogress.org/article/5-ways-state-local-governments-can-make-climate-jobs-good-jobs/)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 10 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
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Oct 11
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1 reply by Julia Tache
Adriana Colovai
How does 15% of the labor force being employed by the government in the US compare to other
countries?
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**FreyALRProjectTheNationalLaborRelationsAct1.pdf**
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**Ch7UnOrgandBargStruc1.pdf**
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**TrumpsNLRBpurgeisaboutwaymorethancrushingunions.1.pdf**
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**TrumpsNLRBpurgeisaboutwaymorethancrushingunions.1.pdf**
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**## Mid.pdf**
Your essay should be between 1000 to 1100 words and use citations and a
bibliography using MLA. To receive a good grade on your essay, please make use
of course materials, readings, video's etc. Outside research is encouraged but
not required.
Question: What tools do employers have to help prevent their employees from
organizing into unions and what if anything can workers and their unions do to counter
these employer efforts.
Resources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtxITylE73U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYqcIVLC3D0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnBBAJrQem4
https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/04/cal-state-underg
rad-unions/
https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/02/14/despite-pleas-for-veto-utah-gov-cox-signs-bill
-banning-public-unions-from-collective-bargaining/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvrldZlUwe0
https://virginiamercury.com/2023/01/16/in-virginia-patchwork-of-ordinances-makes-publi
c-sector-organizing-a-maze/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nESQX_qTZzA
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtxITylE73U](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtxITylE73U)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYqcIVLC3D0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYqcIVLC3D0)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnBBAJrQem4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnBBAJrQem4)
[https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/04/cal-state-undergrad-unions/](https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/04/cal-state-undergrad-unions/)
[https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/04/cal-state-undergrad-unions/](https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/04/cal-state-undergrad-unions/)
[https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/02/14/despite-pleas-for-veto-utah-gov-cox-signs-bill-banning-public-unions-from-collective-bargaining/](https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/02/14/despite-pleas-for-veto-utah-gov-cox-signs-bill-banning-public-unions-from-collective-bargaining/)
[https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/02/14/despite-pleas-for-veto-utah-gov-cox-signs-bill-banning-public-unions-from-collective-bargaining/](https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/02/14/despite-pleas-for-veto-utah-gov-cox-signs-bill-banning-public-unions-from-collective-bargaining/)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvrldZlUwe0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvrldZlUwe0)
[https://virginiamercury.com/2023/01/16/in-virginia-patchwork-of-ordinances-makes-public-sector-organizing-a-maze/](https://virginiamercury.com/2023/01/16/in-virginia-patchwork-of-ordinances-makes-public-sector-organizing-a-maze/)
[https://virginiamercury.com/2023/01/16/in-virginia-patchwork-of-ordinances-makes-public-sector-organizing-a-maze/](https://virginiamercury.com/2023/01/16/in-virginia-patchwork-of-ordinances-makes-public-sector-organizing-a-maze/)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nESQX_qTZzA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nESQX_qTZzA)
**## TheStateofPublicSectorEmploymentandUnionizationintheU.S..pdf**
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 1 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
The State of Public Sector Employment and
Unionization in the U.S.
An analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data
SEP 25, 2024
2 Share
Since 2020, public sector employment has been on the rise, exceeding pre-pandemic
levels for the <rst time in 2023. The union membership rate of government employees
continues to be far greater than that of other workers: last year, 32.5 percent of public
sector workers were in a union as opposed to 6.0 percent of those in the private sector.
However, the addition of new jobs coincides with dropping public sector union density
over the past decade.
Although many government employees already have access to unconventional bene<ts
such as student loan forgiveness and Hexible work schedules (along with generous
health insurance and retirement plans), unionized government workers experience
better pay and bene<ts than their nonunion counterparts. Pandemic-era funding
sources are coming to an end, and though much of this funding was used for one-time
expenditures, state and local governments especially will be operating on tighter
budgets than in previous years. Developing stronger unions in the public sector will be
a key step in preventing layoNs and protecting the security oNered by jobs in public
service.
JULIA TACHE
2
How Many Public Sector Workers Are There?
[https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment/comments](https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment/comments)
javascript:void(0)
[https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/union2.pdf](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/union2.pdf)
[https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2024/07/15/state-budgets-are-downsizing](https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2024/07/15/state-budgets-are-downsizing)
[https://substack.com/@tidyverses](https://substack.com/@tidyverses)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 2 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
Over 23 million people were employed by federal, state, and local governments by the
end of 2023, surpassing 22.9 million in February of 2020 and accounting for nearly 15
percent of U.S. employment. Although growth in most sectors has slowed,
employment increased in the public sector in 2023 by a greater amount than in 2022
(709,000 jobs added compared to 299,000). Job gains were led by local governments,
which added 351,000 jobs last year. Preliminary numbers for August 2024 indicate that
the public sector has added 263,000 people to the payroll this year so far, totaling 23.3
million.
As hiring cooled in other areas, government sectors may have been able to hire more
workers who would have previously opted to enter the private sector. Government
employment provides bene<ts and security typically not found in other industries with
higher salaries for commensurate positions, a trade-oN more workers seem to be
[https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2024/article/employment-continues-to-expand-in-2023-though-at-a-slower-pace-than-in-the-previous-2-years.htm](https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2024/article/employment-continues-to-expand-in-2023-though-at-a-slower-pace-than-in-the-previous-2-years.htm)
[https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2024/employment-in-government-rose-by-709000-in-2023.htm#:~:text=Employment%20growth%20in%20government%20accelerated,by%20209%2C000%20in%20December%202023.](https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2024/employment-in-government-rose-by-709000-in-2023.htm#:~:text=Employment%20growth%20in%20government%20accelerated,by%20209%2C000%20in%20December%202023.)
[https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/us-job-growth-uneven-as-government-education-sectors-dominate-payroll-gains-81131852](https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/us-job-growth-uneven-as-government-education-sectors-dominate-payroll-gains-81131852)
[https://www.businessinsider.com/federal-state-government-jobs-trending-tiktok-2024-2](https://www.businessinsider.com/federal-state-government-jobs-trending-tiktok-2024-2)
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F474a118b-6c2e-48e8-8a98-e8b9b1541aae_2700x1500.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F474a118b-6c2e-48e8-8a98-e8b9b1541aae_2700x1500.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 3 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
willing to make. New initiatives taken on at the federal level in climate, infrastructure,
and manufacturing may be luring individuals to take on roles created by new programs
as well. Despite increases in government employment, many vacancies remain un<lled
especially at the state and local level, impacting the ability of public service workers to
carry out their operations.
Median national annual salaries of federal, state, and local government workers in
2022 (in 2024 dollars) were $81,670, $58,548, and $58,335, respectively, according to an
analysis of Current Population’s Survey (CPS) Annual Social and Economic
Supplement data. Segmenting employment sectors by race using CPS monthly data
shows that a larger share of Black workers are employed by the public sector compared
Public Sector Worker Characteristics
ThepublicsectorhasthehighestshareofBlackworkers
Percentageofworkersinsectorofemployment,byrace(2023)
Nonprofit PublicSector PrivateSector
78.3%
White 14.4%
7.3%
75.1%
Black 17.7%
7.2%
81.7%
Asian/PacificIslander 11.5%
6.8%
85•4%
Hispanic 10.3%
4-3%
77.6%
TwoorMoreRaces/Other 15%
7.4%
Author'sAnalysisofCurrentPopulationSurvey(CPS)dataaccessedthroughIPUMS|github:julia-tache
[https://www.afscme.org/blog/public-sector-job-growth-is-increasing-but-many-vacancies-still-remain](https://www.afscme.org/blog/public-sector-job-growth-is-increasing-but-many-vacancies-still-remain)
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F49d26342-62c9-4550-be88-1f5589de1215_3000x1800.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F49d26342-62c9-4550-be88-1f5589de1215_3000x1800.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 4 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
to other races. As the Center for Economic and Policy Research noted, government
professions have been an important source of economic mobility for Black workers in
particular. Women are also more highly represented in the public versus private sector
and make up almost 57 percent of public sector jobs.
About a third of public sector jobs oNer workers added stability and bargaining power
through union representation. Unions that represent federal workers include the
American Federation of Government Employees and the National Treasury Employees
Union while state and local workers may be represented by the American Federation
of State, County and Municipal Employees, the International Federation of
Professional and Technical Engineers, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters,
[https://cepr.net/public-sector-unions-mean-middle-class-jobs-for-black-workers/](https://cepr.net/public-sector-unions-mean-middle-class-jobs-for-black-workers/)
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F38d1016d-468a-4798-a71f-ef7a2d607d69_2700x1800.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F38d1016d-468a-4798-a71f-ef7a2d607d69_2700x1800.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 5 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
and other groups. Local government jobs including teachers and <re<ghters tend to be
highly unionized with 38.3 percent of these workers represented by a union in 2023.
While public sector hiring is on an upward trend, the share of workers covered by a
union has been declining at all government levels. Unionization rates for all
government workers decreased by 3.2 percent from 2014 to 2023. Certain barriers to
unionization include state “right-to-work” laws and challenges independent
contractors face in joining bargaining units. Along with solid bene<ts already oNered
by government employment, union membership provides workers with tangible
advantages.
Public Sector Union Benefits
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4d3d3d1c-3229-4d3a-a042-695a94ed4cdf_2400x1500.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4d3d3d1c-3229-4d3a-a042-695a94ed4cdf_2400x1500.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 6 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
Public service unions have been instrumental in helping workers secure better wages
and fringe bene<ts. On average, public sector employees who are a member or at least
covered by a union earned 18 percent more than those who were not union members
(according to 2017-2022 data). A larger proportion of union members were part of a
pension plan, with 71.1 percent of unionized or covered public employees having
access to a plan as opposed to just over half of those without a union in 2022. In
general, government employers pay a higher percent of health insurance costs than
private sector employers. Public sector employees with a union are also more likely to
have health insurance premiums paid for in full: 20.8 percent compared to 17.6 percent
for nonunion employees in 2022.
[https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ebs2.t03.htm#ncs_nb_table3.f.1](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ebs2.t03.htm#ncs_nb_table3.f.1)
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F24aedb86-9267-4291-91d4-09911d856791_2400x1500.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F24aedb86-9267-4291-91d4-09911d856791_2400x1500.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 7 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Publicsectorunionmembersaremore
likelytobepartofapensionplan
Nopensionplan Notincludedinplan Includedinplan
0.00
MemberofUnion/Covered
71.8%
71.7%
71.4%
76.5%
71.9%
71.1%
0.25 0.50
NoUnionCoverage
54.2%
54•3%
54.8%
55%
54%
56.3%
0.500.75 1.000.00 0.25 0.75 1.00
Author'sAnalysisofCurrentPopulationSurvey(CPS)dataaccessedthroughIPUMS
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1fbc64d8-ac35-4f6a-8a69-75ec9c51e290_2400x1500.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1fbc64d8-ac35-4f6a-8a69-75ec9c51e290_2400x1500.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 8 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
Employees in public service are more likely to enjoy the bene<ts and protection of a
union than those in other sectors. More can be done to support the worker power of
federal, state, and local government employees who help build our roads and bridges,
distribute <nancial assistance, deliver our mail, and teach our children. Government
employees are excluded from the National Labor Relations Act, allowing states to
enact laws that prohibit members of the public sector from going on strike. Policy
changes at the federal, state, and local levels can help make it easier for these workers
to unionize and advocate for improved conditions.
[https://www.nlrb.gov/guidance/key-reference-materials/national-labor-relations-act](https://www.nlrb.gov/guidance/key-reference-materials/national-labor-relations-act)
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc1353c5e-d3ed-4a8d-bdc9-42da01b2eed8_2400x1800.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc1353c5e-d3ed-4a8d-bdc9-42da01b2eed8_2400x1800.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 9 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
State and local policymakers can pass reforms to allow all public sector employees to
unionize, not just those in certain professions like law enforcement. Statutes
preventing unionization such as “right-to-work” laws should be repealed. Direct-
bene<t pension coverage, a hallmark of public employment, must also be protected
and expanded. Employers could also collaborate with unions to develop training and
informational materials on existing bene<ts with the goal of increasing bene<t uptake.
Policymakers must also guarantee that any jobs created through government spending
should abide by standards such as prevailing wage laws and project labor agreements.
Declining union membership among public sector workers is a threat to the middle
class prosperity oNered by government employment. With budgets downsizing, union
protections will be crucial in preserving job stability, retention, fair wages, and
substantial bene<ts, while granting workers a voice on the job.
Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) Citation: Sarah Flood, Miriam King, Renae
Rodgers, Steven Ruggles, J. Robert Warren, Daniel Backman, Annie Chen, Grace Cooper,
Stephanie Richards, Megan Schouweiler, and Michael Westberry. IPUMS CPS: Version 11.0
[dataset]. Minneapolis, MN: IPUMS, 2023. https://doi.org/10.18128/D030.V11.0
Code: https://github.com/julia-tache/public_sector_union_eNect
2 Likes
[https://www.americanprogress.org/article/11-things-state-local-governments-can-build-worker-power/](https://www.americanprogress.org/article/11-things-state-local-governments-can-build-worker-power/)
[https://www.americanprogress.org/article/5-ways-state-local-governments-can-make-climate-jobs-good-jobs/](https://www.americanprogress.org/article/5-ways-state-local-governments-can-make-climate-jobs-good-jobs/)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 10 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
Discussion about this post
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Oct 11
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Adriana Colovai
How does 15% of the labor force being employed by the government in the US compare to other
countries?
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[https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment/comment/72299708](https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment/comment/72299708)
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**FreyALRProjectTheNationalLaborRelationsAct1.pdf**
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**Ch7UnOrgandBargStruc1.pdf**
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**## Mid.pdf**
Your essay should be between 1000 to 1100 words and use citations and a
bibliography using MLA. To receive a good grade on your essay, please make use
of course materials, readings, video's etc. Outside research is encouraged but
not required.
Question: What tools do employers have to help prevent their employees from
organizing into unions and what if anything can workers and their unions do to counter
these employer efforts.
Resources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtxITylE73U
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYqcIVLC3D0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnBBAJrQem4
https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/04/cal-state-underg
rad-unions/
https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/02/14/despite-pleas-for-veto-utah-gov-cox-signs-bill
-banning-public-unions-from-collective-bargaining/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvrldZlUwe0
https://virginiamercury.com/2023/01/16/in-virginia-patchwork-of-ordinances-makes-publi
c-sector-organizing-a-maze/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nESQX_qTZzA
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtxITylE73U](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtxITylE73U)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYqcIVLC3D0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYqcIVLC3D0)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnBBAJrQem4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnBBAJrQem4)
[https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/04/cal-state-undergrad-unions/](https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/04/cal-state-undergrad-unions/)
[https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/04/cal-state-undergrad-unions/](https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/college-beat/2023/04/cal-state-undergrad-unions/)
[https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/02/14/despite-pleas-for-veto-utah-gov-cox-signs-bill-banning-public-unions-from-collective-bargaining/](https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/02/14/despite-pleas-for-veto-utah-gov-cox-signs-bill-banning-public-unions-from-collective-bargaining/)
[https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/02/14/despite-pleas-for-veto-utah-gov-cox-signs-bill-banning-public-unions-from-collective-bargaining/](https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2025/02/14/despite-pleas-for-veto-utah-gov-cox-signs-bill-banning-public-unions-from-collective-bargaining/)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvrldZlUwe0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvrldZlUwe0)
[https://virginiamercury.com/2023/01/16/in-virginia-patchwork-of-ordinances-makes-public-sector-organizing-a-maze/](https://virginiamercury.com/2023/01/16/in-virginia-patchwork-of-ordinances-makes-public-sector-organizing-a-maze/)
[https://virginiamercury.com/2023/01/16/in-virginia-patchwork-of-ordinances-makes-public-sector-organizing-a-maze/](https://virginiamercury.com/2023/01/16/in-virginia-patchwork-of-ordinances-makes-public-sector-organizing-a-maze/)
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nESQX_qTZzA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nESQX_qTZzA)
**## TheStateofPublicSectorEmploymentandUnionizationintheU.S..pdf**
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 1 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
The State of Public Sector Employment and
Unionization in the U.S.
An analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data
SEP 25, 2024
2 Share
Since 2020, public sector employment has been on the rise, exceeding pre-pandemic
levels for the <rst time in 2023. The union membership rate of government employees
continues to be far greater than that of other workers: last year, 32.5 percent of public
sector workers were in a union as opposed to 6.0 percent of those in the private sector.
However, the addition of new jobs coincides with dropping public sector union density
over the past decade.
Although many government employees already have access to unconventional bene<ts
such as student loan forgiveness and Hexible work schedules (along with generous
health insurance and retirement plans), unionized government workers experience
better pay and bene<ts than their nonunion counterparts. Pandemic-era funding
sources are coming to an end, and though much of this funding was used for one-time
expenditures, state and local governments especially will be operating on tighter
budgets than in previous years. Developing stronger unions in the public sector will be
a key step in preventing layoNs and protecting the security oNered by jobs in public
service.
JULIA TACHE
2
How Many Public Sector Workers Are There?
[https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment/comments](https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment/comments)
javascript:void(0)
[https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/union2.pdf](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/union2.pdf)
[https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2024/07/15/state-budgets-are-downsizing](https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2024/07/15/state-budgets-are-downsizing)
[https://substack.com/@tidyverses](https://substack.com/@tidyverses)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 2 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
Over 23 million people were employed by federal, state, and local governments by the
end of 2023, surpassing 22.9 million in February of 2020 and accounting for nearly 15
percent of U.S. employment. Although growth in most sectors has slowed,
employment increased in the public sector in 2023 by a greater amount than in 2022
(709,000 jobs added compared to 299,000). Job gains were led by local governments,
which added 351,000 jobs last year. Preliminary numbers for August 2024 indicate that
the public sector has added 263,000 people to the payroll this year so far, totaling 23.3
million.
As hiring cooled in other areas, government sectors may have been able to hire more
workers who would have previously opted to enter the private sector. Government
employment provides bene<ts and security typically not found in other industries with
higher salaries for commensurate positions, a trade-oN more workers seem to be
[https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2024/article/employment-continues-to-expand-in-2023-though-at-a-slower-pace-than-in-the-previous-2-years.htm](https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2024/article/employment-continues-to-expand-in-2023-though-at-a-slower-pace-than-in-the-previous-2-years.htm)
[https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2024/employment-in-government-rose-by-709000-in-2023.htm#:~:text=Employment%20growth%20in%20government%20accelerated,by%20209%2C000%20in%20December%202023.](https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2024/employment-in-government-rose-by-709000-in-2023.htm#:~:text=Employment%20growth%20in%20government%20accelerated,by%20209%2C000%20in%20December%202023.)
[https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/us-job-growth-uneven-as-government-education-sectors-dominate-payroll-gains-81131852](https://www.spglobal.com/marketintelligence/en/news-insights/latest-news-headlines/us-job-growth-uneven-as-government-education-sectors-dominate-payroll-gains-81131852)
[https://www.businessinsider.com/federal-state-government-jobs-trending-tiktok-2024-2](https://www.businessinsider.com/federal-state-government-jobs-trending-tiktok-2024-2)
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F474a118b-6c2e-48e8-8a98-e8b9b1541aae_2700x1500.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F474a118b-6c2e-48e8-8a98-e8b9b1541aae_2700x1500.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 3 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
willing to make. New initiatives taken on at the federal level in climate, infrastructure,
and manufacturing may be luring individuals to take on roles created by new programs
as well. Despite increases in government employment, many vacancies remain un<lled
especially at the state and local level, impacting the ability of public service workers to
carry out their operations.
Median national annual salaries of federal, state, and local government workers in
2022 (in 2024 dollars) were $81,670, $58,548, and $58,335, respectively, according to an
analysis of Current Population’s Survey (CPS) Annual Social and Economic
Supplement data. Segmenting employment sectors by race using CPS monthly data
shows that a larger share of Black workers are employed by the public sector compared
Public Sector Worker Characteristics
ThepublicsectorhasthehighestshareofBlackworkers
Percentageofworkersinsectorofemployment,byrace(2023)
Nonprofit PublicSector PrivateSector
78.3%
White 14.4%
7.3%
75.1%
Black 17.7%
7.2%
81.7%
Asian/PacificIslander 11.5%
6.8%
85•4%
Hispanic 10.3%
4-3%
77.6%
TwoorMoreRaces/Other 15%
7.4%
Author'sAnalysisofCurrentPopulationSurvey(CPS)dataaccessedthroughIPUMS|github:julia-tache
[https://www.afscme.org/blog/public-sector-job-growth-is-increasing-but-many-vacancies-still-remain](https://www.afscme.org/blog/public-sector-job-growth-is-increasing-but-many-vacancies-still-remain)
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F49d26342-62c9-4550-be88-1f5589de1215_3000x1800.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F49d26342-62c9-4550-be88-1f5589de1215_3000x1800.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 4 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
to other races. As the Center for Economic and Policy Research noted, government
professions have been an important source of economic mobility for Black workers in
particular. Women are also more highly represented in the public versus private sector
and make up almost 57 percent of public sector jobs.
About a third of public sector jobs oNer workers added stability and bargaining power
through union representation. Unions that represent federal workers include the
American Federation of Government Employees and the National Treasury Employees
Union while state and local workers may be represented by the American Federation
of State, County and Municipal Employees, the International Federation of
Professional and Technical Engineers, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters,
[https://cepr.net/public-sector-unions-mean-middle-class-jobs-for-black-workers/](https://cepr.net/public-sector-unions-mean-middle-class-jobs-for-black-workers/)
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F38d1016d-468a-4798-a71f-ef7a2d607d69_2700x1800.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F38d1016d-468a-4798-a71f-ef7a2d607d69_2700x1800.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 5 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
and other groups. Local government jobs including teachers and <re<ghters tend to be
highly unionized with 38.3 percent of these workers represented by a union in 2023.
While public sector hiring is on an upward trend, the share of workers covered by a
union has been declining at all government levels. Unionization rates for all
government workers decreased by 3.2 percent from 2014 to 2023. Certain barriers to
unionization include state “right-to-work” laws and challenges independent
contractors face in joining bargaining units. Along with solid bene<ts already oNered
by government employment, union membership provides workers with tangible
advantages.
Public Sector Union Benefits
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4d3d3d1c-3229-4d3a-a042-695a94ed4cdf_2400x1500.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4d3d3d1c-3229-4d3a-a042-695a94ed4cdf_2400x1500.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 6 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
Public service unions have been instrumental in helping workers secure better wages
and fringe bene<ts. On average, public sector employees who are a member or at least
covered by a union earned 18 percent more than those who were not union members
(according to 2017-2022 data). A larger proportion of union members were part of a
pension plan, with 71.1 percent of unionized or covered public employees having
access to a plan as opposed to just over half of those without a union in 2022. In
general, government employers pay a higher percent of health insurance costs than
private sector employers. Public sector employees with a union are also more likely to
have health insurance premiums paid for in full: 20.8 percent compared to 17.6 percent
for nonunion employees in 2022.
[https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ebs2.t03.htm#ncs_nb_table3.f.1](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ebs2.t03.htm#ncs_nb_table3.f.1)
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F24aedb86-9267-4291-91d4-09911d856791_2400x1500.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F24aedb86-9267-4291-91d4-09911d856791_2400x1500.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 7 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Publicsectorunionmembersaremore
likelytobepartofapensionplan
Nopensionplan Notincludedinplan Includedinplan
0.00
MemberofUnion/Covered
71.8%
71.7%
71.4%
76.5%
71.9%
71.1%
0.25 0.50
NoUnionCoverage
54.2%
54•3%
54.8%
55%
54%
56.3%
0.500.75 1.000.00 0.25 0.75 1.00
Author'sAnalysisofCurrentPopulationSurvey(CPS)dataaccessedthroughIPUMS
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1fbc64d8-ac35-4f6a-8a69-75ec9c51e290_2400x1500.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1fbc64d8-ac35-4f6a-8a69-75ec9c51e290_2400x1500.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 8 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
Employees in public service are more likely to enjoy the bene<ts and protection of a
union than those in other sectors. More can be done to support the worker power of
federal, state, and local government employees who help build our roads and bridges,
distribute <nancial assistance, deliver our mail, and teach our children. Government
employees are excluded from the National Labor Relations Act, allowing states to
enact laws that prohibit members of the public sector from going on strike. Policy
changes at the federal, state, and local levels can help make it easier for these workers
to unionize and advocate for improved conditions.
[https://www.nlrb.gov/guidance/key-reference-materials/national-labor-relations-act](https://www.nlrb.gov/guidance/key-reference-materials/national-labor-relations-act)
[https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc1353c5e-d3ed-4a8d-bdc9-42da01b2eed8_2400x1800.png](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc1353c5e-d3ed-4a8d-bdc9-42da01b2eed8_2400x1800.png)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 9 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
State and local policymakers can pass reforms to allow all public sector employees to
unionize, not just those in certain professions like law enforcement. Statutes
preventing unionization such as “right-to-work” laws should be repealed. Direct-
bene<t pension coverage, a hallmark of public employment, must also be protected
and expanded. Employers could also collaborate with unions to develop training and
informational materials on existing bene<ts with the goal of increasing bene<t uptake.
Policymakers must also guarantee that any jobs created through government spending
should abide by standards such as prevailing wage laws and project labor agreements.
Declining union membership among public sector workers is a threat to the middle
class prosperity oNered by government employment. With budgets downsizing, union
protections will be crucial in preserving job stability, retention, fair wages, and
substantial bene<ts, while granting workers a voice on the job.
Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) Citation: Sarah Flood, Miriam King, Renae
Rodgers, Steven Ruggles, J. Robert Warren, Daniel Backman, Annie Chen, Grace Cooper,
Stephanie Richards, Megan Schouweiler, and Michael Westberry. IPUMS CPS: Version 11.0
[dataset]. Minneapolis, MN: IPUMS, 2023. https://doi.org/10.18128/D030.V11.0
Code: https://github.com/julia-tache/public_sector_union_eNect
2 Likes
[https://www.americanprogress.org/article/11-things-state-local-governments-can-build-worker-power/](https://www.americanprogress.org/article/11-things-state-local-governments-can-build-worker-power/)
[https://www.americanprogress.org/article/5-ways-state-local-governments-can-make-climate-jobs-good-jobs/](https://www.americanprogress.org/article/5-ways-state-local-governments-can-make-climate-jobs-good-jobs/)
2/11/25, 2:21 PMThe State of Public Sector Employment and Unionization in the U.S.
Page 10 of 10https://tidyverses.substack.com/p/the-state-of-public-sector-employment
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Oct 11
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Adriana Colovai
How does 15% of the labor force being employed by the government in the US compare to other
countries?
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**FreyALRProjectTheNationalLaborRelationsAct1.pdf**
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**Ch7UnOrgandBargStruc1.pdf**
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