AFL-CIO membership dropped slightly in 2003, to 13,133,209, the labor federation reported. That?s down 39,739 from the year before and about 31,000 from 2001.
Losses were concentrated in industrial unions such as the Auto Workers, IBEW, the Machinists and the Steel Workers. They more than offset gains by the Service Employees, the Laborers, the Teachers and several other unions.
SEIU remained the largest AFL-CIO union. It led the gainers, with 75,000 new members, and has 1,387,500. The Laborers were second in gains, with 31,737, to 353,735. The Teachers were third, adding 19,972, to a total of 997,400. They were No. 5, after the four unions with more than 1 million members: SEIU, AFSCME, the Teamsters and the United Food and Commercial Workers.
AFL-CIO membership dropped slightly in 2003, to 13,133,209, the labor federation reported. That?s down 39,739 from the year before and about 31,000 from 2001.
Losses were concentrated in industrial unions such as the Auto Workers, IBEW, the Machinists and the Steel Workers. They more than offset gains by the Service Employees, the Laborers, the Teachers and several other unions.
SEIU remained the largest AFL-CIO union. It led the gainers, with 75,000 new members, and has 1,387,500. The Laborers were second in gains, with 31,737, to 353,735. The Teachers were third, adding 19,972, to a total of 997,400. They were No. 5, after the four unions with more than 1 million members: SEIU, AFSCME, the Teamsters and the United Food and Commercial Workers.