Union membership up for first time since 1983

The percentage of American workers represented by unions rose in 2007, reversing a quarter- century decline in union membership.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 12.1 percent of the workforce was made up of organized labor, up from 12 percent in 2006. While the gain was small, it was notable for being the first gain in union membership since the BLS began tracking it in 1983.The gains in union representation came from women, who edged up in union membership from 10.9 percent to 11.1 percent. Men remained steady, with 13 percent of male workers in a union. Construction unions, health and education unions, and retail unions all posted gains in 2007.

Manufacturing unions, however, continued to show a decline. 11.3 percent of manufacturing workers are unionized, meaning that manufacturing laborers, once the backbone of the union movement, are now less likely to be unionized than the average American worker.

Regionally, the Northeast led the nation with 18.7 percent of workers union-represented. The South was the least unionized, with only 5.9 percent of workers unionized. The Midwest, which is 13.8 percent unionized, fell behind the level in the West for the first time since 1983, with western states 14.7 percent unionized.