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Trade Union Membership Statistics

BIS is responsible, with the Office for National Statistics (ONS), for publishing the National Statistics on trade union membership.

The latest trade union membership publication contains annual estimates of trade union densities for employees and all workers from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) for the fourth quarter of 2008.

Estimates are presented for the proportion of people in employment who are trade union members in both the United Kingdom and Great Britain, and for employees whose pay and conditions are affected by collective agreements. We also provide trade union densities by age, sex, ethnicity, income, full and part-time employment, sector, nation and region.

The 2008 publication includes new additional information, including

  • Trade union membership levels.
  • Historical trade union membership levels from 1892 to 2007.
  • Maps showing union density, union presence and collective agreements by region.
  • International comparisons.

Previous trade union membership articles may also be downloaded.

Trade union membership 2008 - A national statistics publication

Trade union membership 2007 - A national statistics publication

Trade union membership 2006PDF document (2403KB)

Trade union membership 2005PDF document (468KB)

Trade Union membership 2004PDF document (421KB)

Trade Union membership 2003PDF document (1320KB)

Trade union membership: estimates from the autumn 2003 Labour Force SurveyPDF document (110KB)

July 2003 Spotlight article - estimates from the 2002 labour force surveyPDF document (94KB)

Trade union membership: an analysis of data from the autumn 2001 Labour Force SurveyPDF document (71KB)

Trade union membership 1999-00PDF document (511KB)

Trade union membership 1998-99PDF document (117KB)

Trade union membership and recognition 1997-98PDF document (199KB)

Trade union membership and labour disputes statistics quality review

BERR and ONS carried out a Quality Review of trade union membership and labour disputes statistics.

For further information, please contact:

Ian Rutherford
Statistical Adviser
Employment Market Analysis and Research
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
1 Victoria Street
London SW1H 0ET
tel: 020 7215 5934
e-mail: Ian.Rutherford@bis.gsi.gov.uk
Information on National Statistics, the Labour Market as well as relevant data can be obtained from the ONS website.

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