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Manufacturing

Trade union membership in the manufacturing industry Trade union membership in the manufacturing industry has been falling steadily for some years. Despite a small increase in the number of trade union members, the proportion of employees with trade union membership has decreased from a little over 50% in the mid 1980s to a little over 30% in 2000. This represents a fall in union membership of around 200,000 manufacturing employees over that period.

From 1999 to 2000 the numbers of manufacturing employees with union membership rose slightly (by 1.5%). Nevertheless, the proportion of manufacturing employees with union membership fell from 32.8% to 31.1% (table 19.13). The manufacturing industry continues to have a higher rate of union membership than the average for all industries. In percentage terms, union membership in all industries has followed a downward trend similar to that in manufacturing.

Table 19.14 shows that, while 37% of permanent manufacturing employees belonged to a trade union in 2000, only 10% of casual manufacturing employees were union members. Membership rates for permanent female employees (28%) and casual female employees (7%) each remained significantly lower than for corresponding male employees.

19.13 EMPLOYEES WITH TRADE UNION MEMBERSHIP - August
Manufacturing
All industries
Period
Trade union
members

'000
Proportion of
total employment

%
Trade union
members

'000
Proportion of
total employment

%
1990(a)
520.9
46.1
2,659.6
40.5
1992
455.3
44.4
2,508.8
39.6
1994
421.6
40.8
2,283.4
35.0
1996
410.1
38.7
2,194.3
31.1
1997
378.2
36.6
2,110.3
30.3
1998
354.4
34.5
2,037.5
28.1
1999
325.8
32.8
1,878.2
25.7
2000
330.8
31.1
1,901.8
24.7
(a) Excludes persons aged 70 years and over.

Source: Trade Union Members, Australia (6325.0); Employee Earnings, Benefits and Trade Union Membership, Australia (6310.0).


19.14 PROPORTION OF TRADE UNION MEMBERS, By Sex - August 2000
Employees
Manufacturing

%
All industries

%
MALES
Permanent
37.1
31.2
Casual(a)
10.3
10.1
Total
34.1
26.3
FEMALES
Permanent
28.2
29.9
Casual(a)
7.0
7.8
Total
22.8
22.8
PERSONS
Permanent
35.1
30.6
Casual(a)
8.8
8.9
Total
31.1
24.7
(a) Employees without leave entitlements

Source: Employee Earnings, Benefits and Trade Union Membership, Australia (6310.0).
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