How many people do have collective bargaining rights?
About three-quarters of U.S. workers have collective bargaining rights. Workers who are excluded are private sector and some public sector supervisors, independent contractors, employees of small businesses, and domestic and agricultural workers. Like most rights, it’s not a requirement that it be exercised. About 7 million of 21 million public sector workers do not have collective bargaining rights. (From Government Accounting Office, “Collective Bargaining Rights: Information on the Number of Workers with and without Bargaining Rights,” September 2002.) Most private sector employees were given that right by Federal Law (National Labor Relations Act) in 1935. During the 50’s through the 70’s over two-thirds of the states gave their public employees the right to some form of collective bargaining. The spectrum ranges from a statutory requirement for public sector bargaining to a statutory prohibition: • One state, Florida, requires public sector bargaining. • Thirty-three other states
