Look for the Union Labels
More than 14 percent of Ohio's workers are union members, compared with 12 percent nationally. Here are some of the trade unions endorsing Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and their Ohio membership:
Obama
| Union | Total Members | Members in Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Teamsters | 1.4 million | 60,000 |
| Service Employees International Union | 1.9 million | 30,000 |
| International Brotherhood of Boilermakers | 65,000 | 3,500 |
| United Food and Commercial Workers | 1.3 million | 69,000 |
| Transport Workers Union | 20,000* | 17,000 |
| Unite Here | 450,000 | 10,000 |
| Utility Workers Union | 70,000* | 10,000 |
Clinton
| Union | Total Members | Members in Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees | 1.4 million | 120,000 |
| International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers | 700,000 | 40,000 |
| United Transportation | 125,000* | 5,951 |
| National Association of Letter Carriers | 302,000* | 14,000 |
| International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers | 100,000 | 7,000 |
| American Federation of Teachers | 1.4 million | 20,000 |
| Office and Professional Employees International Union | 125,000 | 3,600 |
| Sheet Metal Workers International Association | 151,000 | 9,000 |
| Amalgamated Transit Union | 180,000 | 4,000 |
| International Union of Painters and Allied Trades | 160,000 | 7,700 |
| United Farm Workers | 27,000 | 3,600 |
Ohio and Pennsylvania have some of the largest number of union workers, with more than 15 percent of the workforce unionized in Pennsylvania and more than 14 percent in Ohio. The nation's union workforce dropped to a record low of 12 percent last year, a 325,000 worker decrease from 2005, says Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics.
*Active and retired
The Washington Post
