N.C. No Longer Least Unionized State in the U.S.

For Immediate Release

Contact: Jeremy Sprinkle, Communications Director, [email protected], 336-255-2711

North Carolina is No Longer the Least Unionized State in the United States

B.L.S. reports union membership is up in a majority of southern states

RALEIGH, N.C. (January 28, 2016) – The North Carolina State AFL-CIO released the following statement from Secretary-Treasurer MaryBe McMillan in response to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics figures about unionization rates in the United States:

“The increase in union membership in a majority of southern states, including North Carolina, confirms what polls have shown time and again: most workers support unions. Unfortunately, with our weak labor laws and lax penalties for companies who violate workers' rights, too few working people get the chance to join a union, and as a result, we've seen wages stagnate and inequality increase.

“History shows that union membership directly correlates with the middle-class' share of income. That's why we will continue to work with our community partners and religious leaders to push for laws to protect workers' right to organize and collectively bargain.”

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The North Carolina State AFL-CIO is the largest association of local unions and union councils in North Carolina, representing over a hundred thousand union members, fighting for good jobs, safe workplaces, workers’ rights, consumer protections, and quality public services on behalf of ALL working families.  PO Box 10805, Raleigh, NC 27605.