10 Percent Membership Loss For Private Sector Unions In 2009

Organized labor lost 10% of its members in the private sector last year, the largest decline in more than 25 years. The drop is on par with the fall in total employment but threatens to significantly limit labor's ability to influence elections and legislation.

On Friday, the Labor Department reported private-sector unions lost 834,000 members, bringing membership down to 7.2% of the private-sector work force, from 7.6% the year before.

From The Wall Street Journal article, "Union Membership Drops 10%" by By Kris Maher.