ABC

SYRACUSE, NY, Feb. 25—Associated Builders and Contractors Empire State Chapter today released analysis from ABC National of state union membership data published by unionstats.com, which found that 78% private industry construction workers in New York do not belong to a union in 2025. 

Nationwide, at least 90% of construction workers in 24 states did not belong to a union last year. Overall, there were a record 9 million nonunion construction workers compared to 995,000 union members last year, according to a Feb. 18 report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

“The data doesn’t lie. Across the country and here at home, a clear supermajority of construction companies choose a merit-based employment model because it consistently outperforms the alternatives. It attracts the best talent, maximizes productivity and delivers long-lasting, high-quality projects at a price owners and taxpayers can afford,” said Brian Sampson, president of ABC’s Empire State Chapter." 

Employee choice whether or not to affiliate with unions creates immense value in the marketplace, which is why ABC Empire State will continue to oppose government-mandated project labor agreement policies and advocate for freedom for all construction workers to choose how to achieve their career dreams and prosper in a safe and healthy environment.   

“It’s time for elected officials at every level of government to stop catering to special interests and putting politics ahead of taxpayers and workers. Union only mandates like PLAs deliberately exclude most of the construction workforce, reduce competition and increase costs. The vast majority of hardworking men and women in this industry deserve the right to compete and build without government imposed barriers designed to benefit a select few,” said Sampson.