More young people joining labor unions after years of decline

After years of decline, trade union membership among people under 45 is on the rise. Statistics Netherlands reports that there are now more than 422,000 union members in this age group, up 47,000 from 2023.

The growth comprises 36,000 new members between 25 and 45 years old and 11,000 under 25. Statistics Netherlands notes that membership among those over 45 has declined, but this age group still accounts for half of all union members.

According to Statistics Netherlands, overall union membership has continued to fall. By the end of March, slightly over 1.4 million workers belonged to a union, down 15,000 from 2023, marking the lowest level since 1962. In 2000, nearly 2 million people were members. Unions are struggling, in part due to the aging of their membership.

Statistics Netherlands reports that female union membership has risen for the first time since 2017, reaching 558,000, an increase of nearly 9,000 compared with 2023. Male membership, by contrast, stands at 868,000, down 24,000 from two years ago.

According to the latest National Survey on Working Conditions, older workers tend to view unions more critically than younger ones. Non-members aged 45 and above are more likely than their younger counterparts to believe that unions have little impact, charge high membership fees, and fail to adequately represent workers’ interests.

“Unions have been losing members for decades, but in the last three years, that trend has almost stopped,” says Dick Koerselman, interim chair of FNV. The union reports that sign-ups are now higher than in the past. “Some days, 500 new members join, and on average, over 1,000 people sign up each week. We’re also seeing our membership becoming more diverse.”

According to CNV, new membership now surpasses departures for the first time in years. “The membership decline that Statistics Netherlands reports does not apply to CNV,” says chair Piet Fortuin.

The union did lose thousands of members aged 65 and older, which Fortuin considers unfortunate. “Many retirees cancel their membership, but that’s a missed opportunity, as we still offer significant benefits for seniors, such as pension indexing that can add hundreds of euros annually.”