Union membership in Illinois fell to lowest point in 10 years in 2023: Report

(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The rate of union participation in Illinois fell to its lowest point in a decade in 2023, according to a new report from the nonprofit Illinois Economic Policy Institute (IEPI) and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

The State of the Unions 2024 report found that Illinois’ union participation decline matched a trend that has been seen nationally, which researchers said was caused partially because overall employment grew faster than total union membership.

Despite the decline, Illinois’ union participation remained higher than the national average. Almost 13% of the Illinois workforce was unionized in 2023, which meant the state ranked 13th in the country when it came to membership rates.

The report highlighted other factors that could be driving the decline, including a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on unions and data that suggests many jobs were added in sectors with what researchers described as “low union densities."

One bright spot for labor advocates: In 2023, Illinois saw 86 successful petitions, up from 67 successful petitions in 2022.

The full report can be found online .

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