Minnesota union memberships rise in 2021, bucking national trend

The state's level of membership is the highest it's been in 14 years

Jan 25, 20220

David Joles, Star Tribune count

SEIU added workers at Allina Health through organizing efforts since Labor Day. Shown is picketing that took place outside Allina Commons at the Global Market in 2016.

With new construction projects and fresh organizing, Minnesota union membership in 2021 grew to its highest level in 14 years, seemingly bucking a national trend that has seen memberships bouncing close to 40-year lows.

The number of Minnesota workers belonging to a union swelled slightly last year - from 398,000 to 416,000, or 16% of all workers, according to data released by the U.S. Labor Department last week.

It's also a big bump from 2019 when only 364,000 Minnesota workers, or 13.7%, were union members. Union organizers attribute the uptick to increased organizing and big infrastructure projects like the $3 billion Enbridge pipeline built across northern Minnesota.

https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-union-memberships-rise-in-2021-bucking-national-trend/600139093/