Labor Unions NAICS 813930
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Industry Summary
The 12,000 labor unions in the US promote the interests of organized labor and union employees through collective bargaining. They rely on membership dues and investment income for revenue. Local chapters typically remit a percentage of dues to national organizations. Unions typically set aside a percentage of dues to support various funds. Most unions have a general fund to cover basic operating expenses. A strike fund assists members in the event of a strike. Other types of funds include communications, education, scholarship, and emergency operations.
Highly Regulated Operations
Labor unions are heavily regulated by numerous government organizations, including the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
Resistance From Employers
Foreign competition and the ensuing pressure to reduce labor costs have strained relations between employers and unions.
Recent Developments
Jan 6, 2026 - Bill To Restore Collective Bargaining For Federal Employees Advances
- Legislation introduced in the US Congress which would restore collective bargaining rights that President Trump stripped from about 1 million federal workers in 2025 has advanced from the House of Representatives to the Senate. The Protect America’s Workforce Act aims to nullify two of President Donald Trump’s executive orders that called for most agencies to end their union contracts. President Trump cited national security as the reason to strip many federal workers of their collective bargaining rights. Federal employees' unions have been fighting the Trump executive orders in court, but after a district court paused the orders from taking effect, an appellate court overturned that union win.
- A coalition of over a dozen cities, labor unions, and nonprofit organizations filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Education (ED) that accuses the Trump administration with illegally using the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program to silence governments and nonprofit organizations that do work the Administration doesn’t like. The ED has finalized restrictions on public service loan forgiveness that could stop some nonprofits and public service organizations from participating in the PSLF, which forgives the remaining balance on federal Direct Loans for borrowers who make 120 qualifying monthly payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer. Many labor unions are classified as nonprofit organizations under section 501(c)(5) of the tax code.
- Nearly 200 large union contracts covering more than 1.5 million workers across a many of industries are set to expire in 2025, according to Bloomberg Law. An early test for unions and for the incoming Trump administration was avoided when the union representing 45,000 longshoremen at docks along the US East and Gulf coasts and port operators tentatively agreed to a new six-year contract in early January. Other workers may be emboldened to strike based on the record-breaking wages and benefits secured in contracts from the last few years, such as with Detroit’s Big Three, the Boeing Company, and Hollywood production studios, according to Bloomberg Law. Workers may also push for new job protections from emerging technology like artificial intelligence.
- Labor union industry employment decreased slightly and average wages for nonsupervisory employees increased slightly during the first eight months of 2025, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Labor union industry revenue is forecast to grow at a 4.23% compounded annual rate from 2025 to 2029, comparable to the growth of the overall economy, according to Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc. Labor unions generate revenue by charging dues to members.
Industry Revenue
Labor Unions
Industry Structure
Industry size & Structure
The average labor union operates out of a single location, employs 9 workers, and generates about $1.8 million annually.
- The labor union industry consists of about 12,000 organizations that employ about 107,200 workers and generate about $21.3 billion annually.
- The industry is concentrated; the ten largest unions account for over 90% of total union membership. The industry includes national and local chapters of unions.
- Large unions include the National Education Association (NEA), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT).
Industry Forecast
Industry Forecast
Labor Unions Industry Growth
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