Trade union density and collective bargaining coverage have continued to decline across most OECD countries since the 1980s, while employer organisation membership has remained comparatively stable. Drawing on the September 2025 update of the OECD/AIAS ICTWSS database, this policy brief reviews the main trends and cross-country differences, and examines how collective bargaining systems are evolving. It also discusses the methodological and data challenges that remain in accurately measuring union membership, employer organisation membership, and collective bargaining coverage across OECD countries.
Membership of unions and employers' organisations, and bargaining coverage
Standing, but losing ground
