Union Organizing and Union Revitalization in the United States

Abstract

This paper examines evidence on union organizing activity for 1990–95 and 1999–2004. Despite increased organizing rhetoric and prominence during this time, the data show little change in aggregate organizing activity levels. Disaggregation to the national union level, however, reveals considerable variation. Many national unions increased both organizing activity and organizing success. A concluding section calls for more attention to organizational and environmental differences among national unions, and renewed efforts to model union organizing efforts.