Skip to main content

Table 7 Union density (five-year intervals)

From: Who bears the cost of the business cycle? Labor-market institutions and volatility of the youth unemployment rate

Year

1960

1965

1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

Australia

    

49.9

50

46.5

35.3

24.5

21.9

Austria

       

41.1

36.5

33.3

Belgium

     

52.4

53.9

55.7

55.6

52.9

Canada

    

34.9

35.4

34.4

33.8

30.9

27.8

Denmark

     

78.2

75.3

77

74.4

71.7

Finland

 

38.3

51.3

65.3

69.4

69.1

72.3

79.2

76.2

72.4

France

  

21.7

22.2

18.3

13.6

10.1

9.8

9.7

7.7

Germany

  

32

34.6

34.9

34.7

31.2

29.2

25

21.7

Ireland

   

55.3

 

54.1

51.1

47.1

37.8

34.0

Italy

  

37

48

49.6

42.5

38.8

38.1

34.9

33.6

Japan

  

35.1

34.5

31.1

28.8

25.4

24

21.5

18.8

Netherland

      

25.5

25.7

23.1

21.0

New Zealand

      

51

27.6

22.7

20.9

Norway

   

53.8

58.4

57.5

58.6

57.3

54.3

54.9

Portugal

    

59.7

54.6

31.7

25.4

23.5

21.2

Spain

     

8.9

11

16.3

13.9

15.2

Sweden

 

66.3

67.7

74.5

78

81.3

81.5

86.6

80.3

76.5

Switzerland

       

22.9

19.4

19.3

United Kingdom

     

46.2

39.3

32.9

31.2

28.4

US

30.9

28.2

27.4

25.3

22.1

17.4

15.3

14.2

12.9

12.0

  1. Note: Union density is defined as the ratio of union membership over total employment (%).
  2. Source: Nickell (2006) and OECD labor market statistics database.