State of the Unions

Unions don't do so well in the private sector, especially out here in the West and in the Southwest. The SEIU just held its national convention in Denver. In the Denver Post article announcing the convention, there was this fact sheet about unions.

Union facts

11.8 percent: U.S. wage and salary workers in unions in 2011
20.1 percent: Wage and salary workers in unions in 1983
9.3 percent: Colorado wage and salary workers in unions in 2011
6.6 percent: Colorado wage and salary workers in unions in 2010
37 percent: U.S. public-sector workers in unions in 2011
6.9 percent: Private-sector workers in unions in 2011
43.2 percent: U.S. local-government workers in unions in 2011
$938: median weekly earnings of U.S. union members in 2011
$729: median weekly earnings of U.S. nonunion workers in 2011

Read more: SEIU, civil-rights activists to join forces at Denver convention - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/recommended/ci_20725131#ixzz1wf7krtT5