Union wave is picking up at Chicago, suburban libraries, cultural institutions – Chicago Sun-Times

Although it may seem like a labor movement is sweeping the country, overall union membership has fallen dramatically since historic highs in the 1950s. In 1983, the union membership rate across the country was 20.1 percent, according to BLS figures. In 2023, it’s at 10 percent. There’s no simple answer to explain why. Public opinion about unions was at its highest point since 1965, according to a 2022 Gallup poll.