Rate of unionism less than at any other time since World War II

Construction workers, some no longer unionized

Rate of union membership has declined precipitously over the past several years and now is estimated at 11.3% of workers.  This is true even as wages have declined in relationship to purchasing power and the gap between rich and poor continues to rise.

The South and parts of the Midwest and the Southwest show lower patterns of union membership than the West Coast and Eastern States.  The minimum wage rates are also lower, and the rates of poverty are higher in the South than any other part of the country.

These trends are thought to be caused either by the negative attitudes of employers or the higher costs of union dues, but the ultimate conclusion, according to BizJournal, is that the trends are troubling for American workers.  It is also troubling for economic justice.