List of labor unions in the United States

Unions exist to represent the interests of workers, who form the membership. Under US labor law, the National Labor Relations Act 1935 is the primary statute which gives US unions rights. The rights of members are governed by the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act of 1959. List Below

Largest unions

Nameest.Members (approx)DescriptionConstitutionWebsiteNational Education Association (NEA)18572,839,808Public school employees including but not limited to teachers, Education Support Professionals, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, guidance counselors, nurses, administrative assistants, secretaries, psychologists, and librarians.2019NEAService Employees International Union (SEIU)19211,901,161US Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards. File number 000-137. Report submitted March 30, 2017.RNs, professional, technical and non-professional health care workers; public employees; janitorial and security employees.2012SEIUAmerican Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)19321,459,511Employees of state, county, and municipal governments.2012AFSCMETeamsters19031,400,000Full name: International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Truck drivers; warehouse workers; miscellaneous trades.2016TeamstersUnited Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW)19791,300,000Retail store and distribution employees.2008UFCWUnited Auto Workers (UAW)1935391,000Full name: International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America. Automobile, truck, farm equipment, and construction equipment manufacturing workers.2010UAWUnited Steelworkers (USW) 1942860,264Office of Labor-Management Standards. Employment Standards Administration. U.S. Department of Labor. Form LM-2 labor Organization Annual Report. United Steelworkers of America. File Number: 000-094. Dated March 31, 2009".Steel mill workers; related trades.USWAmerican Federation of Teachers (AFT)19161,700,000Public school teachers, RNs, professional, technical and non-professional health care workers.2022AFTInternational Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW)1891820,000Electrical manufacturing workers; electric utility workers.2012IBEWLaborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA)1903669,772Miscellaneous construction workers; other trades.2022LIUNAInternational Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW)1888653,781Aircraft manufacturing workers; aircraft maintenance and repair workers.2017IAMCommunications Workers of America (CWA)1947545,638Telecommunication, customer service, broadcasting, public sector, healthcare and other workers.2013CWAUnited Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBCJA)1881522,416Building industry carpenters and millwrights.2015UBCInternational Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU)1937424,579Freight handlers at ports.2016ILWUInternational Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE)1896392,584Operators of construction equipment; stationary engineers.2015IUOEUnited Association (UA)1889324,043Full name: United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing, Pipefitting and Sprinkler Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada.2021UANational Association of Letter Carriers (NALC)1889292,221United States Postal Service mail delivery workers in urban areas.2016NALCAmerican Federation of Government Employees (AFGE)1932289,023Miscellaneous U.S. federal government workers.2012AFGEAmerican Postal Workers Union (APWU)1971286,700United States Postal Service workers other than letter carriers.APWUInternational Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF)1918331,003Professional firefighters and emergency medical service workers.2021IAFFUNITE HERE2004301,886Hotel, casino, restaurant, and commercial food service workers and garment manufacturing employees. Formerly UNITE (Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees) and HERE, merged in 2004.2024UNITE HERENational Postal Mail Handlers Union (NPMHU)1912269,204A division of LIUNA. United States Postal Service workers other than letter carriers.2022NPMHUAmalgamated Transit Union (ATU)1892190,000Mass transit service workers.2022ATUAmerican Nurses Association (ANU)1897152,294Professional association for registered nurses.ANAInternational Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)1893168,000 Non-performing entertainment workers in Theater, Motion Picture & Television, & Trade ShowsIATSEInternational Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (IASMARTW)1888148,806SMARTInternational Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT)1887127,278Construction-industry painters, glaziers, drywall finishers, sign & display workers.2020IUPATInternational Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental, and Reinforcing Iron Workers (IABSORIW)1896125,4372021IWTransport Workers Union of America (TWUA)1934125,398Mass transit, railroad, and airline workers.2017TWUOffice and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU)1945105,000White-collar workers in the public and private sector.OPEIUNational Rural Letter Carriers' Association (NRLCU)1903104,717United States Postal Service mail delivery workers in rural areas.2017NRLCA

AFL-CIO

Independent National Adult Performance Artists Guild Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association Allied Pilots Association Association of Professional Flight Attendants Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers Campaign Workers Guild Directors Guild of America Fraternal Order of Police Independent Pilots Association Industrial Workers of the World International Longshore and Warehouse Union International Union of Journeymen and Allied Trades Home Healthcare Workers of America National Organization of Industrial Trade Unions United Public Service Employees Union United Service Workers Union Jockeys' Guild Major League Baseball Players Association Major League Baseball Umpires Association National Alliance of Postal and Federal Employees National Basketball Coaches Association National Education Association National Emergency Medical Services Association National Hockey League Players' Association National Rural Letter Carriers' Association National Treasury Employees Union National Weather Service Employees Organization National Women's Soccer League Players Association National Writers Union Premier Hockey Federation Players' Association Professional Lacrosse Players' Association Southwest Airlines' Pilots Association Stage Directors and Choreographers Society United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America United Independent Technology Technicians of America United Nurses and Allied Professionals United States Rugby Players Association U.S. National Soccer Team Players Association U.S. Women's National Team Players Association Writers Guild of America West

State and Local Alameda County Management Employees' Association Boston Police Patrolmen's Association Dallas Police Association Florida Police Benevolent Association Los Angeles Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs Los Angeles Police Protective League Los Angeles Sheriff's Professional Association United Firefighters of Los Angeles City New Jersey Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association New York City Detectives' Endowment Association Lieutenants Benevolent Association Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York Sergeants Benevolent Association San Francisco Police Officers Association State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers

Professional sports labor unions NameYear establishedAffiliationLeague(s)National Basketball Players Association1954IndependentNational Basketball AssociationNational Football League Players Association1956AFL-CIONational Football LeagueMajor League Baseball Players Association1966AFL-CIOMajor League BaseballNational Hockey League Players' Association1967AFL-CIONational Hockey LeagueProfessional Hockey Players' Association1967AFL-CIOAmerican Hockey League & ECHLProfessional Lacrosse Players' Association1991IndependentNational Lacrosse LeagueMLS Players Association2003AFL-CIOMajor League SoccerWomen's National Basketball Players Association1998AFL-CIOWomen's National Basketball AssociationNational Women's Soccer League Players Association2015AFL-CIONational Women's Soccer LeagueUnited Soccer League Players Association2018AFL-CIOUnited Soccer LeagueProfessional Women's Hockey League Players Association2023AFL-CIOProfessional Women's Hockey League

Union Reform Groups Labor Notes Teamsters for a Democratic Union

See also Labor unions in the United States List of trade unions in Canada List of trade unions in France List of trade unions in Germany List of trade unions in the United Kingdom United States labor law

Notes