Union Membership in Massachusetts Up for Third Year in a Row

Mass AFL-CIO President cites Massachusetts as positive contrast to national Bureau of Labor Statistics Union Membership Report

Working families need labor movement now more than ever, says state AFL-CIO President Robert Haynes
 
BOSTON, MA FEBRUARY 1, 2010…Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Robert Haynes found a silver lining in the recently-released Bureau of Labor statistics, showing that Massachusetts bucked a national downward trend in 2009, and has achieved an increase in union membership in each of the last three years.
 
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there was a decline of 771,000 union members nationally in 2009. However, the data released on January 22nd shows Massachusetts to be one of the few areas of union growth, showing that the numbers of union-organized workers in Massachusetts rose from 15.7% in 2009 to 16.6% in 2009, an increase of nearly a full percentage point. The increase of 18,000 union workers happened in the third consecutive year in which the number of organized workers in Massachusetts increased.
 
“The news is good from Massachusetts, and we are grateful for the gains that organized labor has made here, but we all certainly have our work to do,” said President Haynes. “Nationally, our virtually unprecedented economic crisis has taken its toll on America’s middle class.”
 
The Bureau of Labor Statistics cites “the overall drop in employment due to the recession” as the abiding reason for the decline in union membership nationally.
 
“This report is a strong reminder of the importance of unions and their role in helping to create and preserve jobs,” said Haynes, adding, “The country needs to step up its investment in jobs and economic recovery, and now more than ever, working families need the support of labor in these uncertain times. We especially need to invigorate our economic development for the creation of good, heavily unionized industries, like the film industry and gaming entertainment industry that we have the potential to grow here in Massachusetts. We need to get to work creating good jobs, not just any jobs, and these industries can help us put people back to work.”
 
He added, “While we are pleased that Massachusetts is in better shape than the rest of the nation, and we certainly are pleased, we must also realize that our work is far from done. America’s workers are hurting; unions can and must address their concerns,” said Haynes. “And we must restore workers’ freedom to bargain to ensure good jobs with fair wages and appropriate benefits.”
 
About the Massachusetts AFL-CIO
The Massachusetts AFL-CIO is an organization created by workers to promote the interests of workers in the Commonwealth. We are the most powerful, authoritative voice for all working people in the state, both for those in unions and those not yet organized. With roots dating back to the 1880’s, and originally charted as an AFL-CIO chapter in 1958, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO is one of fifty-one state charters of our parent organization, the AFL-CIO. The Massachusetts AFL-CIO receives the bulk of its resources and power from affiliated local unions and other labor organizations across the state. All told, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO encompasses over 750 affiliated unions which directly represent approximately 400,000 working families in the public, building and construction trades, and industrial/service sectors. Robert J. Haynes (781-324-8230) is the organization’s President and Tim Sullivan (781-324-8230) is the contact for the press. Find out more at www.massaflcio.org.
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