(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Union Membership in the U.S. ticked up in 2025, breaking a decades-long trend of declining Unionization, but today’s Unionization Rate doesn’t reflect the tens of millions of Workers who want a Union - but can’t get one.

This Economic Policy Institute (EPI) report examines what we stand to gain if we triple current Union Membership to 30% - restoring it to 1950s levels, when Union Strength delivered rising wages, narrowing racial wage gaps and a thriving Middle Class.

Tripling Union Membership would:

Deliver A 14.5% Raise For The Median Worker: Amounting to more than $7,700 annually or nearly $270,000 over a 35-year career. These life-changing increases would benefit Union and Non-Union Workers alike.

Shift $1.2 Trillion To Workers Annually: This would reverse a third of the increase in inequality experienced since 1979.

Significantly Narrow Racial Wage Gaps: Because Unions tend to boost wages more for Black and Hispanic Workers than for White Workers, tripling Union Membership would close racial wage gaps by more than one-third.

Boost The Number Of People With Health Insurance: Since Unions increase other forms of compensation, like health insurance benefits, the number of non-elderly people without health insurance would fall by about 25%. Unions further reduce uninsured rates by advocating for increased public benefits like Medicaid.

Strengthen Communities: States with high Union Density invest more in public education, have higher unemployment insurance recipiency rates, and have all adopted Medicaid expansion.

Protect Democracy: Unions boost voter turnout, equip Workers with civic skills and actively defend voting rights. States with high Union Density have passed far fewer Voter Restriction Bills than low-density States.

To Read This Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: The case for tripling union membership: How rebuilding union power would strengthen workers, the economy, and our democracy | Economic Policy Institute