Did you know that New Jersey is the sixth most heavily unionized state in the country? In the run up to Labor Day, Rutgers Labor Education Action Research Network (LEARN) released a new report Monday, August 24, New Jersey Adds 22,000 Union Members in Three Years, Ranks Sixth Nationally.
“The labor movement in New Jersey is still going strong in the face of incredible challenges,” said Assistant Professor Todd Vachon. “A tough defensive stance against federal attacks on the public sector, along with vigorous organizing efforts, helped unions not only maintain but even add to their membership.”
Among the researchers’ key findings:
- With 675,000 union members, New Jersey’s unionization rate currently stands at 15.47%, based on the 2023-25 average, making it the sixth most highly unionized state in the U.S.
- Union members are roughly evenly split between the private and public sectors, in line with the previous report’s findings.
- Over the last three years of data available, 22,000 workers unionized in New Jersey.
Read the full report: The State of Labor in New Jersey, 2023-2025: A Profile of Organized Labor in the Garden State
The strength of the state’s labor movement helps us in bargaining with Rutgers, especially through our fellow unions in the Coalition of Rutgers Unions. When we advocate on issues such as controlling health insurance costs, we do so in conjunction with a strong public labor movement through the state AFL-CIO.
On a directly related note: see Wages are lower in “right-to-work” states These states have lower unionization rates and more anti-worker policies
