30 Most Powerful Unions in America
Few things have been as important to the development of a strong middle class in America as the labor union. In their heyday, labor unions were an essential piece of the social fabric that helped ensure that workers could have a strong voice in getting paid fair wages, securing important benefits and ensuring safe working conditions. However, the days of organized labor wielding enormous influence are largely gone as union memberships continue to shrink in the face of an ever-shifting economy. From 1983 to 2015, union rolls shrank by nearly 3 million workers even as over 45 million more people joined the workforce, and the proportion of workers in a union was cut in half over that same period.
So, what does the face of American organized labor look like today? What unions still command the largest membership base, allowing them to influence public policy and pressure companies into making concessions?
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GOBankingRates looked at the membership numbers from some 78 different unions as available through the Department of Labor and identified 30 that still have at least 100,000 members. Some of them are among the most powerful unions in the nation and have led strikes that changed America.
Last updated: Jan. 25, 2021
30. International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT)
Total membership: 111,138
Description: Construction-industry painters
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
29. National Rural Letter Carriers' Association (NRLCA)
Total membership: 114,598
Description: United States Postal Service (USPS) mail delivery workers in rural areas
Member of the AFL-CIO? No
28. International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers (IW)
Total membership: 128,511
Description: Ironworkers
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
27. National Nurses United (NNU)
Total membership: 130,515
Description: Nurses
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
26. Transport Workers Union of America (TWU)
Total membership: 134,022
Description: Mass transit, railroad and airline workers
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
25. International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)
Total membership: 145,525
Description: Entertainment (theater, motion picture and television production, trade shows, television broadcasting and concerts)
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
24. American Nurses Association (ANA)
Total membership: 195,884
Description: Professional association for registered nurses
Member of the AFL-CIO? No
23. Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU)
Total membership: 199,986
Description: Mass transit service workers
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
22. International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART)
Total membership: 203,280
Description: Construction-industry sheet metal workers; also shipbuilders, engineers, conductors, welders and more
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
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21. American Postal Workers Union (APWU)
Total membership: 235,253
Description: USPS workers other than letter carriers
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
20. Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA)
Total membership: 243,853
Description: Actors, recording artists and broadcasters
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
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19. National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC)
Total membership: 290,315
Description: USPS mail delivery workers in urban areas
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
18. UNITE HERE
Total membership: 301,886
Description: Textile and garment manufacturing workers; hotel, restaurant and gaming workers; transportation workers
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
17. International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)
Total membership: 314,990
Description: Municipal firefighters and paramedics
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
16. American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE)
Total membership: 332,977
Description: Miscellaneous U.S. federal government workers
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
15. Fraternal Order of Police (FOP)
Total membership: 339,746
Description: Police officers
Member of the AFL-CIO? No
14. United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA)
Total membership: 355,000
Description: Journeymen and apprentices of the plumbing, pipe fitting and sprinkler fitting industry
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
13. International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE)
Total membership: 394,493
Description: Operators of construction equipment; stationary engineers
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
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12. United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America International Union (UAW)
Total membership: 395,703
Description: Automobile, truck, aerospace, farm equipment and construction equipment manufacturing workers and more
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
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11. United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBC)
Total membership: 500,000
Description: Building industry carpenters
Member of the AFL-CIO? No
10. International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM)
Total membership: 573,365
Description: Miscellaneous construction workers; aircraft workers and more
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
9. United Steelworkers (USW)
Total membership: 581,810
Description: Steel mill workers; related trades
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
8. Communications Workers of America (CWA)
Total membership: 661,604
Description: Telecommunication, customer service, broadcasting, public sector, healthcare and other workers
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
7. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)
Total membership: 672,551
Description: Electrical manufacturing workers; electric utility workers
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
6. United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW)
Total membership: 1,248,117
Description: Retail store and distribution employees
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
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5. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
Total membership: 1,327,379
Description: Employees of state, county and municipal governments
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
4. International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT)
Total membership: 1,389,454
Description: Truck drivers, warehouse workers and other trades
Member of the AFL-CIO? No
3. American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
Total membership: 1,677,775
Description: Public school teachers, registered nurses (RNs), professional, technical and nonprofessional healthcare workers
Member of the AFL-CIO? Yes
2. Service Employees International Union (SEIU)
Total membership: 1,918,192
Description: Hotel, restaurant and hospitality workers; RNs, professional, technical and nonprofessional healthcare workers; public employees
Member of the AFL-CIO? No
1. National Education Association of the United States (NEA)
Total membership: 3,002,516
Description: Public school employees including but not limited to teachers, education support professionals, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, guidance counselors, nurses, administrative assistants, secretaries, psychologists and librarians
Member of the AFL-CIO? No
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Methodology: GOBankingRates looked at 73 labor unions within the United States in order to determine the 30 most powerful unions in America. GOBankingRates ranked the unions in terms of total members which was found using the Office of Labor-Management Standards’ (OLMS) union reports under Schedule 13 which tallies total union members. The union had to report the data to the OLMS in order to be considered for this list, thus some unions are not listed. Whether or not the union is affiliated with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) was also provided as supplemental data. All data was collected and up to date as of Sept. 11, 2019.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 30 Most Powerful Unions in America
