Majorities of adults see decline of union membership as bad for the U.S. and working people
The share of U.S. workers who belonged to a union in 2023 stood at 10%, down from 1983 when 20.1% of American workers were union members.
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Americans overwhelmingly see small businesses as having a positive effect on the way things are going in the country. By contrast, their views of large corporations are broadly negative. And most people – including identical shares in both parties – are critical of the impact of banks and financial institutions.
The share of wage and salary workers in the U.S. who belong to labor unions has fallen by about half since 1983. Americans express mixed views on the impact this long-term decline has had on the country.