State of the Unions
The “State of the Unions” is an annual report from the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (IRLE) providing an assessment of California’s labor movement. The report tracks union membership, worker organizing and strike activity, and includes regional case studies from partnering institutions across the University of California.
Released from 2005-2015, the IRLE relaunched the State of the Unions in 2024 in response to increased strain on working families and the uptick of labor organizing and protest activity in the 2020s. View the report archive below.
Media Contact
Willa Needham, willaneedham@ucla.edu
“State of the Unions: California Labor in 2025” provides the latest data on union membership, organizing activity and worker direct action in California. The report includes six case studies highlighting worker and union-led campaigns across the state. The findings underscore workers’ persistent and creative strategies to build power under challenging circumstances. The report was prepared by the UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment (IRLE) and features research contributions from labor centers across the University of California.
Upcoming events
State of the Unions Part I: California workers fight federal threats to organizing rights
Date and Time: September 9, 2026, 12-1:30 pm PST
Location: Virtual
State of the Unions Part II: The Fight for a First Union Contract
Date and Time: September 23, 2026, 12-1:30 pm PST
Location: Virtual
State of the Unions in the News
- The share of Californians in unions holds steady as nationwide numbers continue decline, Los Angeles Times, August 25, 2025
- California unions held their ground last year but face big tests in 2025, Sacramento Bee, August 25, 2025
- Unions Are Shrinking Nationwide — But Not in California, Capital & Main, August 29, 2025
- The State of California’s Labor Movement, KPFA, August 28, 2025
- Labor Day 2025: In CA, job market is shaky but unions are strong, KCRW, September 2, 2025
