The only exception was Belgium, which managed to buck this trend. Euronews reported this, citing data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
On average across the 28 OECD countries in 2024, 14.3% of working women and 15% of men were union members.
According to statistics, union membership was significantly higher in the public sector: in 2024, 41.3% of employees there were union members, compared to 10.1% in the private sector.
Traditionally strong trade union organizations exist in Germany, Austria, Belgium, and the Nordic countries—Sweden, Finland, and others. By comparison, only 10% of workers in France belong to unions.
Over the past 30 years, the share of workers covered by collective bargaining agreements has also declined significantly, particularly in Central and Eastern European countries.
