Media
Union Boss Honored for Decline in Union Membership
Yesterday, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed a crucial piece of legislation – a resolution honoring our old “friend” Bill George, outgoing head of the PA AFL-CIO. What was Bill George honored for?
Since George took charge of the AFL-CIO in 1990:
- Pennsylvania Union membership declined 24%. Workers covered by unions declined 26%.
- Private union membership declined 36%.
- Union membership in Construction and Manufacturing declined 25% and 69%.
- Only public sector unionism increased.
- Overall employment in Pennsylvania grew by a scant 4%.
- Employment in construction and manufacturing – two segments of the private sector most heavily unionized – declined 5% and a whopping 42%, respectively.
| Pennsylvania Employment and Union Membership | |||||
| Sector | Employment | Members | Covered | %Mem | %Cov |
| 1990 | |||||
| Total | 5,014,845 | 1,022,997 | 1,136,939 | 20.4 | 22.7 |
| Private | 4,334,640 | 676,514 | 745,195 | 15.6 | 17.2 |
| Public | 680,205 | 346,483 | 391,744 | 50.9 | 57.6 |
| Priv. Construction | 277,357 | 70,972 | 75,695 | 25.6 | 27.3 |
| Priv. Manufacturing | 1,113,826 | 316,212 | 333,827 | 28.4 | 30 |
| 2009 | |||||
| Total | 5,220,376 | 781,678 | 844,028 | 15 | 16.2 |
| Private | 4,562,101 | 429,892 | 461,033 | 9.4 | 10.1 |
| Public | 658,275 | 351,786 | 382,995 | 53.4 | 58.2 |
| Priv. Construction | 262,977 | 53,319 | 53,319 | 20.3 | 20.3 |
| Priv. Manufacturing | 645,966 | 98,712 | 103,024 | 15.3 | 15.9 |
| Change 1990-2009 | |||||
| Total | 4% | -24% | -26% | ||
| Private | 5% | -36% | -38% | ||
| Public | -3% | 2% | -2% | ||
| Priv. Construction | -5% | -25% | -30% | ||
| Priv. Manufacturing | -42% | -69% | -69% | ||
| Source: http://unionstats.gsu.edu/ | |||||
The resolution passed 187-1, with only Rep. Daryl Metcalfe voting no. We’re not sure if Metcalfe was upset with the decline in union membership under Bill George’s leadership. Or that George has worked tirelessly to drive manufacturing jobs out of Pennsylvania. Or that George’s work to preserve prevailing wage laws has driven up overspending and higher taxes, and his effort to keep Pennsylvania a forced unionism state makes us economically uncompetitive. Or that the AFL-CIO continues to lobby for higher taxes. Or that George primarily works in election politics, almost exclusively helping Democrats. Thanks, Bill George!