Unionization in government has been on the rise, according to a March news report from the Public Sector HR Association (PSHRA). Reporting on National Bureau of Labor Statistics data analyzed by the Economic Policy Institute, (EPI),  it reported the increase of 463,000 union members in 2025. That represents “the highest number of unionized workers in the U.S. in 16 years,” according to the EPI analysis.

Looking just at the public sector, there was a gain of 236,000 unionized workers, with union density increasing from 35.7% to 36.4%, according to EPI.

Within the public sector, the most dramatic growth was seen in the federal government, where union membership rose from 29.9% to 31.1%.

State and local union growth rose from 37.1 percent to 37.6 percent in 2025, after the post pandemic period during which those numbers had stabilized.  That equals some 196,000 newly unionized workers. “The union membership rate continued to be highest in local government (37.8 percent), which employs many workers in heavily unionized occupations, such as police officers, firefighters, and teachers,” reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Private sector unionization increased by 227,000 members. Overall, the rate of union involvement is much lower, however, moving from 6.7% to 6.8% in 2025. This is a major differentiating factor between the public and the private sectors. As the BLS reports, public sector workers are five times more likely to be union members than people who work in the private sector. 

The six states with the highest union rates, according to the BLS are Alaska (20.7 percent); Connecticut (17.8 percent); Hawaii (26 percent); New Yok (18.3 percent); Rhode Island (17.5%) and Washington (19.5 percent up from 18.3 percent in just a single year).

“The 2025 rise in union density coincides with a high public favorability toward unions,” reported the EPI. “Since 2021, approval for unions has remained high, with over 68% of people in the U.S. viewing unions favorably. . .This positive view of unions is shared across generations, with majorities of Boomers (59%), Gen X (58%), Millennials (61%), and Gen Z (63%) viewing unions favorably. Young adults (ages 18–35) have the highest favorability rate at 72%. . . Unions are viewed positively across party lines with Democrats (90%) and Independents (69%) having high favorability rates for unions, and over 40% of Republicans approving. . .” 

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