Trade Union Membership Statistics

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) is responsible, in conjunction with the Office for National Statistics for publishing the National Statistics on trade union membership.

In the past, trade union membership statistics were published in an annual article in the ONS journal Labour Market Trends. This was replaced in 2004 by an annual National Statistic report, the fifth of which was published by BERR on 30th July 2008.

Trade Union Membership 2007

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 2007.

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.

Printed copies of this report can be ordered at no charge from the BERR Publications website either online (search using URN 08/971) or alternatively call the BERR Publications Orderline on 0845 015 0010 (+44 845 015 0010) and provide the URN, or email them at: publications@berr.gsi.gov.uk

Previous trade union membership articles may also be downloaded. Please note, however, that some past figures have been revised in the most recent publication and therefore will not be comparable with earlier publications - see links on right.

Trade union membership and labour disputes statistics quality review

The Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Office for National Statistics 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, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
1 Victoria Street
London SW1H 0ET
tel: 020 7215 5934
e-mail: Ian.Rutherford@berr.gsi.gov.uk

Information on National Statistics, the Labour Market as well as relevant data can be obtained from the Office for National Statistics website. Alternatively, contact their Labour Market Statistics helpline for detailed information on 01633 456901.

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