Union membership falls in Tennessee

[Judi Lynn]

Union membership falls in Tennessee
2004-09-07
The Associated Press

CHATTANOOGA -- As workers celebrated Labor Day with food and music, union officials worried about the state's declining union membership.

Union membership in Tennessee fell from 223,000 in 2002 to 179,000 last year, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. The share of workers represented by unions dropped from 10.5 percent to 9.2 percent.
(snip)

``I honestly believe that if the current administration stays in office for another four years, unions may be hurt to a point that they may never fully recover,'' said Jerry Lee, president of the Tennessee AFL-CIO. ``Of all the industrial nations in the world, the United States is the hardest one to organize. And even if you do win a certification election, a lot of companies continue to fight and stall getting a contract.''

Nationwide, 12.9 percent of American workers were unionized in 2003, down from 20.1 percent two decades ago. Union membership last year fell nationally by 369,000 members. In Chattanooga, the Bureau of National Affairs estimates only 5.4 percent of all private-sector workers belong to a labor union.

Lee blamed most of the drop in Tennessee's union membership on closings of unionized factories.
(snip/...)

http://www.thedailytimes.com/sited/story/html/172618

[blueknight]

1. unfortunately, get used to it

that was one of the most important things in this admins agenda,get rid of the high paying union jobs and make as much money for the shareholders as possible

[Frances]

2. I disagree

I think the goal was to make as much money for the CEOs as possible. I think the Bush administration's lack of regulation will screw the shareholders as well.