UNION MEMBERSHIP in Washington state grew 4 percent last year, according to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The state growth ran counter to the national trend, which saw union membership decline 2 percent last year.
Washington state also has a greater percentage of union members in the working population than the U.S. nationwide.
Union membership in the state reached 19.8 percent last year, up from 19.1 percent in 2005.

Nationally, however, 12 percent of wage and salary workers are union members, down from 12.5 percent in 2005.

“While I’m very encouraged that more workers in Washington state have organized to gain a voice at work and win strong union contracts, the declining national membership is another troubling sign that America’s middle class is struggling,” said Rick Bender, president of the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO.