Long Island’s union membership

Union membership on Long Island stands below the level from before the Great Recession, with a falloff of younger workers seen as contributing to the situation, according to a report from Hofstra University. This chart and table detail estimates of membership by age — with declines in the three youngest groups — and the chart and table below show estimates for the overall trends. Read more about the union membership report.

2004-6EmploymentMembersRate
16-24157,90614,2379
25-34230,42864,08827.8
35-44340,90093,83327.5
45-54291,31183,34628.6
55-64172,25453,77631.2
65 & up63,3208,17012.9
Total1,256,119317,45025.3
16-24160,48513,4018.4
25-34227,26958,27625.6
35-44309,08578,37425.4
45-54302,10393,70131
55-64186,10048,18725.9
65 & up48,2678,98518.6
Total1,233,310300,92424.4
2014-16EmploymentMembersRate
16-24142,35913,9979.8
25-34198,72248,31424.3
35-44274,26181,19529.6
45-54299,63190,88130.3
55-64246,47053,86721.9
65 & up76,06314,61419.2
Total1,237,506302,86824.5

Overall union membership

Total union membership, broken down between public and private sector on Long Island, in New York City, and nationwide. Each bar represents the total for the combination of private and public sector members. For details, click on either segment of a bar.


Long Island 2004 – 20062008 – 20102014 – 2016
Total317,450300,924302,868
   Public sector190,834180,555168,274
   Private sector126,617115,756134,594
Total employment (in thousands)1,2561,2331,237
Union as % of total employment25%24%24%
New York City2004 – 20062008 – 20102014 – 2016
Total856,334800,884875,985
   Public sector352,926366,040335,306
   Private sector503,408427,894540,679
Total employment (in thousands)3,1853,3383,532
Union as % of total employment27%24%25%
Nationwide2004 – 20062008 – 20102014 – 2016
Union Members/employment (estimated)2004 – 20062008 – 20102014 – 2016
Total (in thousands)15,50515,37914,605
   Public sector7,3587,7837,187
   Private sector8,1467,5957,448
Total employment (in thousands)125,893125,980133,785
Union as % of total employment12%12%11%

Source: “The State of New York Unions 2017” Hofstra University’s Center for the Study of Labor and Democracy. Charts built using amCharts; tables using Tableizer.