California's construction unions are experiencing a dramatic decline in membership, with only 129,800 unionized workers reported in 2024, marking a 21% drop from 2023 and a 29% decline since 2019. The proportion of unionized workers in construction has decreased to just 12.5%, the smallest share recorded. Meanwhile, the non-union workforce has surged to 907,200, reflecting an ongoing trend that sees construction firms increasingly sidestepping unionized labor. Overall union membership in California has also hit an 18-year low of 14%, further underscoring the challenges facing labor movements in the state.
Unions in California's construction sector shrank to 12.5% of the workforce in 2023, with 129,800 unionized workers, a decline from 17% in 2023 and a massive fall since 1983.
California's non-union construction workforce grew to 907,200 in 2024, a significant increase compared to previous years, illustrating a diminishing influence of organized labor.
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