WXXI, January 25, 2010, Monday

WXXI

January 25, 2010, Monday

WXXI

Union Membership is Strong in New York State

Peter Iglinski (2010-01-25)

Union membership in New York remains strong despite the downturn in the economy.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics is out with its annual survey of union membership. New York once again has the highest percentage of union members. Just over one-fourth (25.2%) of those working in New York belong to a union. That's more than double the national rate (12.3%).

The total number of people employed in the state dropped by ten-percent from 2008 to 2009. But over the same period, the number of union workers declined only half as much.

Cletus Daniel is a professor at Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations. He says the stability of union jobs is the result of the strength of the public sector.

Daniel says unions offer protections to workers because they can bargain as a group with an employer.

At the same time, Daniel notes that unions are not immune to layoffs. And he says some unions have been making concessions in order to save jobs.

Daniel cautions that the union stability could change in New York over the next few years. For example, if economic problems continue, he says property tax pressures could force layoffs at school districts. © Copyright 2010, WXXI