Indiana saw a 187% surge in union filings over the last three years as workers have elected to unionize more workplaces.
The Midwest saw a 138% increase in union petitions between 2021 and 2024, according to the National Labor Relations Board. That's the largest percentage increase of any region in the county.
In Indiana, workers filed to unionize 66 workplaces this year, 47 last year, 35 in 2022 and 23 in 2021. Workers, for instance, sought to unionize a Starbucks coffee shop in Valparaiso and other Starbucks throughout the Hoosier State.
Unions have been pushing nationwide to organize more workers at Amazon warehouses, museums, southern auto plants and many other traditionally non-union workplaces. Workers file paperwork with the NLRB, hold an election and select a union to represent them at the bargaining table if it passes.
In neighboring Illinois, workers submitted 209 union petitions this year, 171 last year, 172 in 2022 and 107 in 2021, according to the National Labor Relations Board. That's a 95% increase over the last three years. In neighboring Michigan, workers filed unionization papers for 148 workplaces this year, 106 last year, 78 in 2022 and 78 in 2021. That's a 160% increase.
Nationally, the National Labor Relations Board received 3,286 union election petitions this fiscal year. It's up 27% compared to last year and double what it was in 2021.
“The surge in cases we’ve received in the last few years is a testament to workers knowing and exercising their rights under the National Labor Relations Act and to our board agents’ accessibility and respectful engagement with them,” NLRB General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo said. “Our committed and talented NLRB staff continue to process cases with professionalism and care, despite working with limited resources. I urge Congress to fully fund the NLRB so that employers, unions, and workers receive prompt and meaningful case resolutions.”
Over the same time period, workers and unions filed 53% more unfair labor practice charges with National Labor Relations Board Regional offices in the Midwest from 2021 to 2024. That's more than the 41% national increase and more than any other region in the county.
Workers in Indiana filed 460 unfair labor practice charges this year, up from 411 last year, 329 in 2022 and 341 in 2021. That's an increase of 35%.
Nationally, unfair labor practice charge filings grew 7% from 19,869 to 21,292 cases.
The National Labor Relations Board said cases have been growing while its staffing and funding have been shrinking. It has half as many employees in its field offices as it did three years ago.
“The NLRB’s dedicated employees have worked hard this year to process cases efficiently, but the ongoing surge in case intake continues to increase our backlog,” Chairman Lauren McFerran said. “Additional resources are necessary to enable the board to expand staffing capacity and ensure that the workers, employers, and unions that rely on our agency benefit from timely resolution of their labor disputes.”
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