More Union Jobs Disappear in the "Recovery" Labor Research Association
The most disturbing trend is documented in the data on union membership by age group. The percentage of workers 16 to 24 years old who are union members fell to 4.7 percent in 2004 from 5.1 percent in 2003.
The highest rates of unionization appear among the oldest workers, who are moving closer to retirement. Only 10.6 percent of workers age 25 to 34 are union members, compared with 16.8 percent of workers age 55 to 64.
The BLS also released the employment cost index for 2004. Wage and salary costs for union workers rose 2.8 percent for the year, slightly higher than the 2.4 percent for nonunion workers.