Labor union membership increased 8 percent in Connecticut last year, continuing a five-year trend of positive gains for union organizers. But a steep recession is likely to put a dent in the movement.
In 2008, 275,000 Connecticut workers were labor union members, compared to 253,000 in 2007. Since 2003, union membership in the state has grown by about 46,000, or 20 percent, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
In total 16.9 percent of Connecticut workers were union members last year, making Connecticut the eighth most unionized state behind New York, Hawaii and a host of mostly Northeastern states.
Nationwide there were about 16.1 million workers in labor unions in 2008, representing about 12 percent of the working population.
Bernard Jacques, a labor attorney and partner at Pepe & Hazard in Hartford, said the recent uptick in unionization is not a large-scale movement.
“I think there has been a slight uptick because of the increased attempts to unionize casinos and construction workers,” Jacques said. “Certain health care industries and state and municipal employees have also seen their numbers increase in recent years.”
John Olsen, president of the Connecticut AFL-CIO, said he thinks union membership is up because workers are looking for better conditions.
“People are fed up with the excesses of businesses,” Olsen said. “The middle class is shrinking, people are working longer hours for less, and health benefits are being cut. People are realizing they need to form unions to fight back.”
Over the last 20 years Connecticut unions have seen their membership grow as high as 292,000 (1991) and drop as low as 229,000 (2003), labor department data shows.
The future of the labor movement in the state remains uncertain. Lost jobs in manufacturing, construction and the financial sector pushed Connecticut unemployment to 7.3 percent in January likely putting a dent in union membership.
Jim Parent, a top official of the International Association of Machinists District 26, who represents thousands of workers at United Technologies, said their union has lost 338 workers in the last year and a half.
“We’ve been consistently losing jobs,” Parent said. “The company is trying to do more work with fewer people and there is also a downturn in the aerospace industry.”
But, passage of the Employee Free Choice Act on the federal level and other pro union bills in the state legislature could shift the balance of power back in the union’s favor.
Jacques, and others, said passage of the Employee Free Choice Act will likely lead to a sizable expansion of labor union membership in Connecticut particularly in health care, biotech and possibly the financial services sector.
“It would create a radical shift,” Jacques said. “Unions would likely increase.”
