Conclusion
As noted, the union movement’s significant decline during the last four decades is primarily a private sector phenomenon. Since the mid-1950s, the union density of private sector workers has dropped from more than a third to less than a tenth, in contrast to that found in government employment, which is now about 37 percent.
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We are indebted to the Donner Foundation for support and to Noah Meltz and Rafael Gomez for research and intellectual advice.
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Lipset, S.M., Katchanovski, I. The future of private sector unions in the U.S.. J Labor Res 22, 229–244 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12122-001-1031-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12122-001-1031-x