About 16.5 million workers were covered by a union contract in 2025, up from 16 million in 2024 and the highest level since 2009. The increase stems from workers joining unions as members – 14.7 million US workers were union members in 2025, up from 14.2 million workers in 2024. Despite the decline, public approval of labor unions has increased in recent years. “The second Trump administration launched the most vicious attack on public sector union workers since the Reagan era. The Trump administration is pushing to cancel collective bargaining agreements for about 1 million federal workers, which would offset these slight gains.

Source: The Guardian February 18, 2026 22:29 UTC