Trade union membership

Latest release

Trade union membership by employment and socio-demographic characteristics such as full-time/part-time, age, industry, occupation, education, earnings

Reference period

August 2022

Released

14/12/2022

Next release 9/12/2024

Key statistics

12.5% of employees (1.4 million) were trade union members.
Since 1992, the proportion of employees who were trade union members has fallen from 41% to 12.5%.
The Education and training industry (30%) and the Professionals occupation group (19%) had the highest rates of trade union membership.

Microdata and TableBuilder

Characteristics of Employment microdata for 2014 to 2022 will be available in TableBuilder and DataLab from 16 December 2022. For more information, refer to Microdata and TableBuilder: Characteristics of Employment.

Trade union members

There were 1.4 million trade union members in August 2022. 10.8% of part-time employees were trade union members compared to 13.3% who worked in full-time jobs.

Trade union membership
	Full-time (%)	Part-time (%)	Total (%)
1988	47.4	24.7	43.1
1994	40.7	23.1	36.6
1998	33.0	20.6	29.9
2004	27.0	17.3	24.1
2010	21.5	15.1	19.5
2016	17.2	12.3	15.6
2018	16.0	11.8	14.6
2020	15.3	12.3	14.3
2022	13.3	10.8	12.5

Trade union membership tends to increase with age. In August 2022 only 2% of employees aged 15-19 years and 5% aged 20-24 were trade union members. This increased to 19% for employees aged 55-59 and 21% for employees aged 60-64.

Trade union membership over time

Of the 11.4 million employees in August 2022, 12.5% were a member of a trade union in their main job. This is a decrease from the 14.3% recorded in August 2020.

Trade union membership has generally declined since 1992. From 1992 to 2022, the proportion of employees who were trade union members has fallen from 41.1% to 12.5% (from 45.5% to 11.4% for men and 35.9% to 13.6% for women).

Trade union membership by sex - 1976 to 2022
	Men (%)	Women (%)	Total (%)
1976	56.8	43.0	51.6
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982	55.9	44.5	51.4
1983
1984
1985
1986	52.4	40.3	47.4
1987
1988	48.4	36.1	43.1
1989
1990	47.1	35.7	42.0
1991
1992	45.5	35.9	41.1
1993	42.7	34.7	39.1
1994	40.2	32.4	36.6
1995	37.9	30.2	34.3
1996	35.8	29.2	32.8
1997	35.3	28.1	32.0
1998	32.3	27.0	29.9
1999	29.6	24.3	27.2
2000	28.2	23.8	26.1
2001	28.4	23.9	26.3
2002	26.4	22.6	24.6
2003	26.2	22.9	24.6
2004	25.4	22.7	24.1
2005	25.5	22.2	23.9
2006	23.0	20.2	21.7
2007	21.1	18.9	20.0
2008	20.3	19.5	20.0
2009	21.6	20.1	20.9
2010	19.4	19.7	19.5
2011	20.0	19.1	19.6
2012	19.0	19.8	19.4
2013	17.7	18.6	18.1
2014	15.9	16.6	16.2
2015
2016	14.6	16.7	15.6
2017
2018	13.8	15.5	14.6
2019
2020	12.7	16.0	14.3
2021
2022	11.4	13.6	12.5

Trade union membership by sex - 1976 to 2022

["","Men","Women","Total"]

[["1976","1977","1978","1979","1980","1981","1982","1983","1984","1985","1986","1987","1988","1989","1990","1991","1992","1993","1994","1995","1996","1997","1998","1999","2000","2001","2002","2003","2004","2005","2006","2007","2008","2009","2010","2011","2012","2013","2014","2015","2016","2017","2018","2019","2020","2021","2022"],[[56.799999999999997],[null],[null],[null],[null],[null],[55.899999999999999],[null],[null],[null],[52.399999999999999],[null],[48.399999999999999],[null],[47.100000000000001],[null],[45.5],[42.700000000000003],[40.200000000000003],[37.899999999999999],[35.799999999999997],[35.299999999999997],[32.299999999999997],[29.600000000000001],[28.199999999999999],[28.399999999999999],[26.399999999999999],[26.199999999999999],[25.399999999999999],[25.5],[23],[21.100000000000001],[20.300000000000001],[21.600000000000001],[19.399999999999999],[20],[19],[17.699999999999999],[15.9],[null],[14.6],[null],[13.800000000000001],[null],[12.699999999999999],[null],[11.4]],[[43],[null],[null],[null],[null],[null],[44.5],[null],[null],[null],[40.299999999999997],[null],[36.100000000000001],[null],[35.700000000000003],[null],[35.899999999999999],[34.700000000000003],[32.399999999999999],[30.199999999999999],[29.199999999999999],[28.100000000000001],[27],[24.300000000000001],[23.800000000000001],[23.899999999999999],[22.600000000000001],[22.899999999999999],[22.699999999999999],[22.199999999999999],[20.199999999999999],[18.899999999999999],[19.5],[20.100000000000001],[19.699999999999999],[19.100000000000001],[19.800000000000001],[18.600000000000001],[16.600000000000001],[null],[16.699999999999999],[null],[15.5],[null],[16],[null],[13.6]],[[51.600000000000001],[null],[null],[null],[null],[null],[51.399999999999999],[null],[null],[null],[47.399999999999999],[null],[43.100000000000001],[null],[42],[null],[41.100000000000001],[39.100000000000001],[36.600000000000001],[34.299999999999997],[32.799999999999997],[32],[29.899999999999999],[27.199999999999999],[26.100000000000001],[26.300000000000001],[24.600000000000001],[24.600000000000001],[24.100000000000001],[23.899999999999999],[21.699999999999999],[20],[20],[20.899999999999999],[19.5],[19.600000000000001],[19.399999999999999],[18.100000000000001],[16.199999999999999],[null],[15.6],[null],[14.6],[null],[14.300000000000001],[null],[12.5]]]

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Data for 1976-1988 sourced from Trade Union Members.

Duration of membership

The majority of trade union members held membership for 5 years or more.

Women made up a greater proportion of trade union membership (54%) than men (46%).

Duration of trade union membership
	Fewer than 5 years ('000)	5 years or more ('000)	Total ('000)
Men	202.6	447.5	650
Women	231.8	541.3	773.1
Total	434.3	988.8	1,423.1

Industry

The industries with the highest proportion of employees who were trade union members were:

Education and training (30%)
Public administration and safety (23%)
Electricity, gas, water and waste services (22%).

Trade union membership, by industry
	2016 (%)	2022 (%)
Education and training	33.1	30.1
Public administration and safety	30.8	22.5
Electricity, gas, water and waste services	26.0	21.6
Health care and social assistance	23.5	20.2
Transport, postal and warehousing	23.5	19.8
Mining	16.5	10.2
Manufacturing	14.1	9.9
Construction	13.6	9.7
Arts and recreation services	9.2	9.5
Retail trade	11.9	8.1
Information Media and telecommunications	8.2	7.2
Financial and insurance services	11.0	6.0
Other services	6.1	3.7
Administrative and support services	5.7	3.4
Wholesale trade	5.7	2.4
Rental, hiring and real estate services	2.6	2.4
Professional, scientific and technical services	2.7	2.1
Accommodation and food services	2.3	1.6
Agriculture, forestry and fishing	3.7	1.3

Trade union membership, by industry

["","2016","2022"]

[["Education and training","Public administration and safety","Electricity, gas, water and waste services","Health care and social assistance","Transport, postal and warehousing","Mining","Manufacturing","Construction","Arts and recreation services","Retail trade","Information Media and telecommunications","Financial and insurance services","Other services","Administrative and support services","Wholesale trade","Rental, hiring and real estate services","Professional, scientific and technical services","Accommodation and food services","Agriculture, forestry and fishing"],[[33.100000000000001],[30.800000000000001],[26],[23.5],[23.5],[16.5],[14.1],[13.6],[9.1999999999999993],[11.9],[8.1999999999999993],[11],[6.0999999999999996],[5.7000000000000002],[5.7000000000000002],[2.6000000000000001],[2.7000000000000002],[2.2999999999999998],[3.7000000000000002]],[[30.100000000000001],[22.5],[21.600000000000001],[20.199999999999999],[19.800000000000001],[10.199999999999999],[9.9000000000000004],[9.6999999999999993],[9.5],[8.0999999999999996],[7.2000000000000002],[6],[3.7000000000000002],[3.3999999999999999],[2.3999999999999999],[2.3999999999999999],[2.1000000000000001],[1.6000000000000001],[1.3]]]

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For more information on Industries, refer to Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC)

Occupation

The occupations which recorded the highest proportion of employees who were Trade Union members were:

Professionals (19%)
Machinery operators and drivers (17%)
Community and Personal Service Workers (15%).

Trade union membership, by occupation and skill level
	2016 (%)	2022 (%)
Professionals	22.9	18.7
Machinery Operators and Drivers	20.4	16.8
Community and Personal Service Workers	17.9	15.2
Labourers	14.5	11.9
Technicians and Trades Workers	14.7	10.8
Clerical and Administrative Workers	10.5	7.2
Managers	8.5	6.5
Sales Workers	9.4	6.1

Skill Level 1	20.1	16.0
Skill Level 2	12.7	10.1
Skill Level 3	14.5	10.9
Skill Level 4	14.4	11.6
Skill Level 5	12.6	9.4

Trade union membership, by occupation and skill level

["","2016","2022"]

[["Professionals","Machinery Operators and Drivers","Community and Personal Service Workers","Labourers","Technicians and Trades Workers","Clerical and Administrative Workers","Managers","Sales Workers","","Skill Level 1","Skill Level 2","Skill Level 3","Skill Level 4","Skill Level 5"],[[22.899999999999999],[20.399999999999999],[17.899999999999999],[14.5],[14.699999999999999],[10.5],[8.5],[9.4000000000000004],[null],[20.100000000000001],[12.699999999999999],[14.5],[14.4],[12.6]],[[18.699999999999999],[16.800000000000001],[15.199999999999999],[11.9],[10.800000000000001],[7.2000000000000002],[6.5],[6.0999999999999996],[null],[16],[10.1],[10.9],[11.6],[9.4000000000000004]]]

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Data is coded to ANZSCO ver 1.2. For more information on Occupations and Skill level, refer to ANZSCO - Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations

Educational attainment

Trade union membership was considerably more prevalent for employed people with a Graduate diploma or Graduate certificate (23%), than for other qualifications. The most common fields of study were Health (41%) and Education (35%).

Trade union membership was lowest amongst those without non-school qualifications (9%).

Trade union membership, by educational attainment
	2016 (%)	2022 (%)
Postgraduate degree	14.5	12.0
Graduate diploma/Graduate certificate	31.9	23.2
Bachelor degree	18.0	14.9
Advanced diploma/Diploma	16.2	13.9
Certificate III/IV	17.5	14.0
Certificate I/II and Other	15.0	10.7
No non-school qualifications	11.4	8.4

Trade union membership, by educational attainment

["","2016","2022"]

[["Postgraduate degree","Graduate diploma\/Graduate certificate","Bachelor degree","Advanced diploma\/Diploma","Certificate III\/IV","Certificate I\/II and Other","No non-school qualifications"],[[14.5],[31.899999999999999],[18],[16.199999999999999],[17.5],[15],[11.4]],[[12],[23.199999999999999],[14.9],[13.9],[14],[10.699999999999999],[8.4000000000000004]]]

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For more information on educational attainment, refer to Australian Standard Classification of Education (ASCED)

State and territory

Tasmania had the highest proportion (20%) of employees who were trade union members, while New South Wales and the ACT had the lowest (12% and 9% respectively).

Trade union membership, by state and territory
	2016 (%)	2022 (%)
Tasmania	22	20.4
Queensland	15.2	13.8
South Australia	17.1	13
Northern Territory	16.6	12.7
Victoria	15.2	12.2
Western Australia	12.7	11.8
New South Wales	16.6	11.7
Australian Capital Territory	12.8	9.4

Trade union membership, by state and territory

["","2016","2022"]

[["Tasmania","Queensland","South Australia","Northern Territory","Victoria","Western Australia","New South Wales","Australian Capital Territory"],[[22],[15.199999999999999],[17.100000000000001],[16.600000000000001],[15.199999999999999],[12.699999999999999],[16.600000000000001],[12.800000000000001]],[[20.399999999999999],[13.800000000000001],[13],[12.699999999999999],[12.199999999999999],[11.800000000000001],[11.699999999999999],[9.4000000000000004]]]

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Earnings

The median weekly earnings for employees who were trade union members in their main job were $1,520 per week, compared with $1,208 for employees who were not a trade union member.

Median weekly earnings, by union membership in main job
	Union member ($)	Non union member ($)
All employees	1,520	1,208
Managers	2,094	1,900
Technicians and trade workers	1,919	1,250
Professionals	1,630	1,726
Machinery operators and drivers	1,546	1,164
Community and personal service workers	1,304	775
Clerical and administrative workers	1,246	1,150
Labourers	1,243	750
Sales workers	733	674

Median weekly earnings, by union membership in main job

["","Union member","Non union member"]

[["All employees","Managers","Technicians and trade workers","Professionals","Machinery operators and drivers","Community and personal service workers","Clerical and administrative workers","Labourers","Sales workers"],[[1520],[2094],[1919],[1630],[1546],[1304],[1246],[1243],[733]],[[1208],[1900],[1250],[1726],[1164],[775],[1150],[750],[674]]]

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Job characteristics

Of the employees who were trade union members only 7% were casual employees (employees without paid leave entitlements).

Table title
	Trade union member in main job		Not a trade union member in main job		Total employees
	'000	%	'000	%	'000	%
Without paid leave entitlements	99.1	7%	2,559.6	26%	2,658.7	23%
Less than 12 months in main job	151.3	11%	2,806.5	28%	2,957.8	26%
Does not expect to remain in main job for next 12 months	116.5	8%	1,114.2	11%	1,230.7	11%
Not guaranteed a minimum number of weekly hours	151.4	11%	2,194.6	22%	2,346.0	21%

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Trade union membership

Data files

Table 1 - Median Earnings by full-time or part-time, state and trade union members in main job, 2004-2022
Download xlsx [157.2 KB]
Table 2 - Median earnings for employees by trade union membership, 2014-2022
Download xlsx [3.09 MB]
Table 3 - Median Earning for employees by duration (length) of current trade union membership, 2022
Download xlsx [88.53 KB]

Historical downloads

Table 3 - Median Earning for employees by duration (length) of current trade union membership, 2014-2021

Data files

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Previous catalogue number

This release uses ABS catalogue number 6335.0*.

Prior to 2020, statistics were published in:

Characteristics of Employment (6333.0**), 2014-2019.
Employee Earnings, Benefits and Trade Union Membership (6310.0), 1998-2013.
Trade Union Members (6325.0), 1976-1996.
Trade Union Statistics (6323.0), 1969-1996
Labour Report (6101.0), 1891-1973

*Note: Catalogue number 6336.0 was previously used Working Conditions, Australia, Feb to May 1979.

**Note: Catalogue number 6333.0 was previously used for Working Conditions, Australia (Preliminary), Feb to May 1979.

Methodology

Characteristics of Employment, Australia methodology, August 2022

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Trade union membership

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Key statistics

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Microdata and TableBuilder

Trade union members

Trade union membership over time

Duration of membership

Industry

Occupation

Educational attainment

State and territory

Earnings

Job characteristics

Data downloads

Trade union membership

Table 1 - Median Earnings by full-time or part-time, state and trade union members in main job, 2004-2022

Table 2 - Median earnings for employees by trade union membership, 2014-2022

Table 3 - Median Earning for employees by duration (length) of current trade union membership, 2022

Historical downloads

Table 3 - Median Earning for employees by duration (length) of current trade union membership, 2014-2021

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