Marvin OnumonuTrade union membership among UK employees dropped to 22.0% in 2024, down from 22.4% in 2023, marking the lowest level since records began in 1995, according to the Department for Business and Trade.
The number of employees who were union members fell by 38,000 to 6.4 million over the year.
Male union membership dropped by 172,000 to 2.7 million, while female membership was up by 134,000, reaching 3.7 million.
Private sector union membership fell by 57,000 to 2.5 million, while public sector membership rose by 20,000 to 3.9 million.
The increase in the public sector was mainly due to a rise in female members, up 87,000, while male public sector membership dropped by 67,000.
Additionally, data revealed that nearly two-thirds (64%) of union members had a degree or higher education qualification, compared to 51% of non-union employees and 53% of all employees. 43% of union members had been with their employer for 10 years or more, compared to 23% of non-union members.
Union membership rates dropped in England, Scotland and Wales, with Wales seeing the biggest fall, down 3.4 percentage points to 29.5%, while in Northern Ireland membership increased by 0.3 percentage points to 34.0%.
