Only about one in ten American workers belongs to a union, the lowest rate since the 1930s and a sharp drop from the 25% average during the post-World War II boom. Globalization has sent many union jobs overseas, but that alone doesn’t explain why union membership is higher in other countries with similar labor costs.
Adding to the puzzle is a rise in public support for unions. A recent Gallup poll showed 71% of Americans approve of unions, the highest figure in 60 years. Yet, 58% of respondents said they wouldn’t join one themselves.
Why this gap between approval and participation? One reason could be that American workers don’t fully understand the benefits of union membership. A study by Stanford researchers found that 89% of Americans underestimate how much more money union members earn over their lifetimes. About 70% also underestimate how many union workers get health insurance.
Underestimating the benefits
Across several categories—retirement benefits, paid leave, and more—people downplayed the gains from unionizing. At the same time, 97% of respondents thought union dues were higher than they are. Most guessed that dues took up a big chunk of income, though they average just over 1%.
This led the researchers to ask: Would workers be more interested in joining unions if they had accurate information? The data suggests so. Unionized workers make about 16% more per week than their non-union counterparts in similar jobs. Another study found that being in a union can boost lifetime earnings by $1.3 million—a bigger gain than getting a college degree.
To see if facts could change minds, the researchers ran an experiment. They shared accurate information about union benefits with half their survey participants, showing them how their guesses stacked up to reality. The results were clear: participants who received the data were 11.6% more interested in joining a union, 7.8% more supportive of unions overall, and 6.9% more likely to help organize or support a strike.
But obstacles remain. Some people still see unions as too confrontational, while others worry about getting into trouble with their employers. “It’s easy to say you support unions,” the researchers point out, “but much harder to take action at your own workplace.”
Distorted views
The study didn’t answer why Americans have such distorted views of union benefits, but there are some likely reasons. Anti-union campaigns by corporations and industry groups have had a major influence. Plus, unions are less visible in daily life. “In the past, most people knew someone in a union and could hear about the benefits firsthand. Now, that’s much less common,” the researchers suggest.
Despite some recent wins for labor—including actions by actors, autoworkers, and baristas—union membership rates haven’t changed much. And while younger workers are showing more interest than older ones, the overall number of union members remains low. If accurate information could help change that, why aren’t unions doing more to spread the word?
The researchers offer a simple explanation: unions are struggling. With fewer members, they have fewer resources to get their message out. “These aren’t easy times for unions,” they conclude. “When membership is low, there’s less money and power to promote the benefits.”
