Australian Union Membership Booms

Union membership in Australia is rising as workers benefit from higher wages and a five-year high in the coverage of union-negotiated Agreements.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, union membership has grown by 12.3% over the past two years—the first density increase since 2011. This growth adds 175,800 members, bringing the national total to 1.6 million. Union density rose from 12.5% in August 2022 to 13.1% in August 2024.

The education and training sector leads with 27% of its workforce unionised.

IEU Victoria Tasmania General Secretary David Brear says the surge in membership is a reminder that unions secure better wages and stronger work conditions.

“Workers are simply better off if they join their union,” Brear said.

Higher Wages

ABS data reveals an average 26% wage gap between union members and non-members. Union members earn a median weekly wage of $1,600, compared to $1,349 for non-members. What this means in practice is that industries with higher rates of union membership benefit from higher wages.

“That gap in earnings highlights the real financial benefits of union membership,” Brear said. “Higher wages mean better living standards and financial security for thousands of Australian families. This wage gap is one of the clearest examples of a union’s impact.”

Collective Agreements at a Five-Year High

The number of Australian workers covered by collective Agreements has reached a five-year high, supported by new worker rights laws passed by the federal government over the past three years.

Mr. Brear says unions provide collective bargaining power, helping workers negotiate better pay and conditions.

“Union membership is also an ‘insurance policy’ in case something goes wrong in your workplace. All union members get access to expert advice and legal representation.

“More people are joining unions because they see the value in both their professional and personal lives,” Brear added. “Unions give workers a voice on their rights and ensure fairness for all. The message is clear: unions make a difference, and we are stronger together.”

Landmark Wins for Workers

Over the past two years, the union movement has secured historic changes to workers’ rights through the Albanese government’s legislative reforms. Union members are now using these new laws to negotiate better pay and conditions across industries.

However, these reforms are only beginning to rebalance an industrial system long skewed in favour of big business due to anti-worker policies under previous Coalition governments.

In August 2023, members of the Australian Education Union (AEU), Independent Education Union (IEU), and United Workers Union (UWU) leveraged new multi-enterprise laws to secure a 15% pay rise for Early Childhood Education and Care workers - an essential victory for a historically underpaid sector. Similarly, Aged Care workers have seen a much needed 28% pay rise over the past three years, while the mining sector has won key Same Job, Same Pay reforms.

A Turning Point for Wage Growth

The expansion of workers’ rights highlights what unions can achieve with a supportive government. After a decade of wage suppression under Coalition governments, wages are finally growing again.

In fact, real wages in 2023-24 have risen as much as they did over nearly a decade under the previous government.

“We need to build on these gains and continue pushing for protections that uphold workers’ rights and improve their quality of life,” Brear said.