Higher Union Membership Among Black Workers Persists Despite 2025 Drop
Union Membership by Race/ Ethnicity, Percent of Employees, 1989–2025
Line chart showing union membership rates by race and ethnicity from 1989 to 2025. Blue represents Black workers, red represents white workers, light teal represents Asian/Pacific Islander workers, and dark navy represents Hispanic/Latino workers. Union membership density declined for all groups over time. Black workers consistently had the highest unionization rates throughout the period, but fell from over 20 percent in the late 1980s to just over 11 percent in 2025. Membership density for white workers declined from roughly 16 percent to about 10 percent, while Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic/Latino workers had lower unionization rates throughout, ending near 9 percent and 8 percent, respectively.