Union density

Michelle O'Sullivan: The latest CSO release indicates that union density for the second quarter of 2009 was 34%, higher than the previous three years but this increase is mainly a function of dropping employment levels. The union density for 2009 was three percentage points lower than 2003, with the drop over that period being greater for men and women. Of course, the longer-term analysis is starker. While the problems unions face in the private sector are well documented, their penetration in the public sector is not as strong as the 1990s – it will be interesting to see how public sector union density will fare following the recent public sector agreement.