Minnesota’s Union Workforce Grows in 2013

New federal numbers come as Politico ranks Minnesota “2nd strongest state” in the country

In its annual report of union membership, the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics found Minnesota’s union membership increased by 11,000 in 2013. Minnesota now has an estimated 362,000 union members, 14.3% of the overall workforce. The uptick in membership moves Minnesota from the 13th to 11th most unionized state in the country.

Nationally, union membership increased by a net 162,000, lead by an increase of 281,000 workers in private sector unions.

“Wall Street’s Great Recession cost millions of workers their jobs and pushed already depressed wages down even further.  But in 2013, workers began to push back,” said Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson. “A union card is still the fastest ticket to the middle class and the best way to stay in the middle class.”

At the same time union membership numbers were released, the online news source Politico named Minnesota the “2nd Strongest State” in the country. The ranking is a composite of numerous quality of life indicators including overall wealth, unemployment rate, poverty, home ownership, education, health, income inequality, and crime rates.

“Today’s news shows that states with above-average unionization and high investment in its people produces prosperity,” Knutson added. “However, the job of raising overall wages and strengthening workers’ bargaining rights is far from over.”