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Indicators of Well-being in Canada


Work - Unionization Rates

Status

  1. Employment Rate
  2. Weekly Earnings
  3. Weekly Hours Worked

Life events

  1. Strikes and Lockouts
  2. Unemployment Duration
  3. Unemployment Rate
  4. Work-related Injuries

Key influences

  1. Unionization Rates
Definition and Methodology | Display High Contrast Charts

Relevance

Unions provide employees with a support network to address various work-related issues that can impact their well-being.  

Summary

  • National Picture — About one in three Canadian employees (31.2%) belonged to a union or were covered by a collective agreement in 2011.
  • Gender — In 2011, slightly more female than male employees belonged to a union or were covered by a collective agreement (32.4% for women and 29.9% for men).
  • Age — Unionization differed substantially by age. In 2011, the unionization rates ranged from 15.9% for employees aged 15 to 24 to 37.6% for employees aged 55 to 64.
  • Regions — In 2011, unionization rates varied from 23.2% in Alberta to 39.3% in Quebec.

National Picture

The unionization rate in Canada has decreased gradually over time, falling from 33.7% in 1997 to 31.2% in 2011.


This Chart contains data for Unionization rate, Canada, 1997-2011. Information is available in table below 2011 = 31.2 2010 = 31.5 2009 = 31.5 2008 = 31.2 2007 = 31.5 2006 = 31.7 2005 = 32.0 2004 = 31.7 2003 = 32.3 2002 = 32.2 2001 = 32.3 2000 = 32.3 1999 = 32.3 1998 = 33.0 1997 = 33.7 (percent of employees) Unionization rate, Canada, 1997-2011

Source: HRSDC calculations based on Statistics Canada. Labour force survey estimates (LFS), employees by union coverage, North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), sex and age group, annual (CANSIM Table 282-0078). Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 2012.


Warning: This data table may contain very wide content. Horizontal scrolling may be necessary.

Unionization rate, Canada, 1997-2011 (percent of employees)
199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011
33.733.032.332.332.332.232.331.732.031.731.531.231.531.531.2

Gender

Historically, membership in unions by male employees was higher than membership by female employees. In 1997, it stood at 35.2% for male employees compared to 32.1% for female employees. However, in 2005 the unionization rates for male and female employees were roughly equal (32%). In 2011, the unionization rate was 32.4% for female employees compared to only 29.9% for male employees.

This Chart contains data for Unionization rate, by gender, 1997-2011. Information is available in table below 2011 (Men) = 29.9 2010 (Men) = 30.4 2009 (Men) = 30.3 2008 (Men) = 30.8 2007 (Men) = 31.3 2006 (Men) = 31.6 2005 (Men) = 32.1 2004 (Men) = 31.8 2003 (Men) = 32.7 2002 (Men) = 32.4 2001 (Men) = 33.0 2000 (Men) = 33.2 1999 (Men) = 33.2 1998 (Men) = 34.3 1997 (Men) = 35.2 2011 (Women) = 32.4 2010 (Women) = 32.7 2009 (Women) = 32.6 2008 (Women) = 31.6 2007 (Women) = 31.8 2006 (Women) = 31.8 2005 (Women) = 32.0 2004 (Women) = 31.7 2003 (Women) = 31.8 2002 (Women) = 32.0 2001 (Women) = 31.6 2000 (Women) = 31.4 1999 (Women) = 31.3 1998 (Women) = 31.6 1997 (Women) = 32.1 (percent of employees) Unionization rate, by gender, 1997-2011

Source: HRSDC calculations based on Statistics Canada. Labour force survey estimates (LFS), employees by union coverage, North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), sex and age group, annual (CANSIM Table 282-0078). Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 2012.


Warning: This data table may contain very wide content. Horizontal scrolling may be necessary.

Unionization rate, by gender, 1997-2011 (percent of employees)
199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011
Men35.234.333.233.233.032.432.731.832.131.631.330.830.330.429.9
Women32.131.631.331.431.632.031.831.732.031.831.831.632.632.732.4


Age

In 2011, unionization rates ranged from 15.9% for employees aged 15 to 24 to 37.6% for those employees aged 55 to 64.

Employees under the age of 25 and over the age of 64 were much less likely to belong to a union or to be covered by a collective agreement than employees between the ages of 25 and 64.


This Chart contains data for Unionization rate, by age, 2011. Information is available in table below 65+ years = 23.6 55-64 years = 37.6 25-54 years = 33.8 15-24 years = 15.9 (percent of employees) Unionization rate, by age, 2011

Source: HRSDC calculations based on Statistics Canada. Labour force survey estimates (LFS), employees by union coverage, North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), sex and age group, annual (CANSIM Table 282-0078). Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 2012.


Warning: This data table may contain very wide content. Horizontal scrolling may be necessary.

Unionization rate, by age, 2011 (percent of employees)
15-24 years25-54 years55-64 years65+ years
15.933.837.623.6

Regions

In 2011, 39.3% of Quebec employees belonged to a union, followed closely by Newfoundland and Labrador (39.0%), and Manitoba (36.2%).  

Alberta had the lowest unionization rate in 2011 at 23.2%, followed by Ontario at 27.8% and New Brunswick at 29.6%.


This Chart contains data for Unionization rate, by region, 2011. Information is available in table below BC = 30.9 AB = 23.2 SK = 35.3 MB = 36.2 ON = 27.8 QC = 39.3 NB = 29.6 NS = 31.5 PE = 32.7 NL = 39.0 CAN = 31.2 (percent of employees) Unionization rate, by region, 2011

Source: HRSDC calculations based on Statistics Canada. Labour force survey estimates (LFS), employees by union coverage, North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), sex and age group, annual (CANSIM Table 282-0078). Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 2012.


Warning: This data table may contain very wide content. Horizontal scrolling may be necessary.

Unionization rate, by region, 2011 (percent of employees)
CANNLPENSNBQCONMBSKABBC
31.239.032.731.529.639.327.836.235.323.230.9

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Date Modified:
2013-06-19