Building Union Power Class 10/29/2026

Union membership isn’t for everyone.

I know that statement can sound surprising coming from a Union Rep, but it’s the truth. As much as I’d like to see skilled union craftspeople on every job, the reality is different. In 2025, union market share in construction stood at just 11.2% nationally. In California it was 16.7%. Even within the Bay Area the numbers vary: San Francisco/Oakland at 16.3% and San Jose/Santa Clara at 10.8%. Put simply, only about 11 out of every 100 construction workers nationwide are union members.

Union size is tied directly to the number of signatory contractors and the amount of work those contractors have. When there are few union shops—or when the shops that exist don’t have active projects, there simply isn’t demand for union labor. Demand for our members is created by the projects our signatory contractor’s win. That’s the economic reality we operate in.

Over the decades, a series of factors have steadily reduced union market share. We dig into that history and what we can do about it in the Building Union Power trainings we hold quarterly at the Local. If you’d like to understand the bigger picture and how we can strengthen our position going forward, join us at the next session on October 29th. Emails and Unite messages will be sent as a reminder leading up to the date.  Food will be provided and a gift card will be raffled amongst attendees.