Union density

The proportion of private sector employees who are union members (union density) fell sharply between 2003 and 2004, from 18.2% to 17.2%.

The finding comes in the second annual statistical report, Trade union membership 2004, published by the Department of Trade and Industry and based on the Labour Force Survey for autumn 2004.

The report found that the decline was slower in the public sector, from 59.1% to 58.8%, with the number of public sector union members actually rising by around 138,000.

Across the economy the number of employees who are union members fell slightly, after a small rise the previous year. Overall union density slipped from 29.3% to 28.8%, with the decline among men being steeper than among women.