The number of US workers with union contracts rose to 16.5 million in 2025. This is the highest since 2009, up from 16 million in 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The increase is driven by more workers joining unions. In 2025, 14.7 million workers were union members, compared to 14.2 million in 2024. The share of all US workers covered by union contracts increased to 11.2% from 11.1%. Union membership rose from 9.9% to 10%. Union density has dropped a lot since the 1940s when it was above 30%. Yet public support for unions is strong. Gallup polls show union approval is now between 67% and 71%, levels last seen in the 1950s and 60s. Hayley Brown from the Center for Economic and Policy Research said, “The second Trump administration launched the most vicious attack on public sector union workers since the Reagan era. While the assault’s full effect remains to be seen, the numbers from 2025 leave room for cautious optimism.” Despite this, the Trump administration tries to end collective bargaining for about 1 million federal workers, which could reduce these gains. Heidi Shierholz, president of the Economic Policy Institute and former US labor economist, highlighted the 463,000 increase in union-represented workers as the highest in 16 years. She said on Bluesky, “This is an extremely welcome departure from prior years’ declines. In a time of fear, uncertainty, and hardship, workers are realizing they are better off in a union. Workers are exerting control over their jobs and their lives through unionization. This is especially clear in the federal government, where unionization surged despite unprecedented attacks.” Shierholz credited these gains to many years of effort in organizing and winning union elections.