NLRB Higher Education Union Election Data for 2023
During calendar year 2023, union organizing continued to rise at institutions of higher education. Data from the National Labor Relations Board on union organizing show that 31.2% of all private-sector workers who successfully unionized in 2023 were employed by institutions of higher education. Public institutions also saw considerable union activity, though this is not reflected in NLRB data.*
To provide an update regarding collective bargaining at private colleges and universities across the country, CUPA-HR’s government relations team has compiled the following NLRB data** from 2023 and early 2024 to summarize organizing activity.
Organizing Efforts at Private Institutions in 2023
- There were 132,303 workers in bargaining units that held elections in 2023. Of this total, 32,477 workers were from institutions of higher education.
- There were 92,574 workers in total who joined certified bargaining units in the U.S. in 2023. Of this total, 28,859 workers were from institutions of higher education.
Private Institution Union Drive Data in 2023
- There were 55 union elections held at private institutions of higher education last year.
- Of the 55 held, 48 union elections resulted in worker unionization. Again, this totaled 28,859 workers from private institutions of higher education.***
- 20 elections included non-faculty, non-student workers with various positions.
- 14 elections included graduate students with various positions (including two RA elections).
- 13 elections included undergraduate students with various positions (including five RA elections).
- Two elections included faculty.
- Two elections included non-tenured faculty specifically.
- Two elections included adjunct faculty.
- Two elections included postdoctoral workers.
- Three elections did not result in unionization. Four elections have been held at institutions, but they have not yet been closed. It is unclear why they are pending.
Private Institution Election Data since January 1, 2024
- So far this year, there have been eight union elections at institutions of higher education. Seven of the elections resulted in worker unionization, and one is still open for unknown reasons.
- In the seven decided elections, 2,477 workers are included in the bargaining units.
- In the one open case, 290 workers could be unionized.
- Since January 1, 2024, there are seven pending petitions for unionization at institutions of higher education. In the seven pending petitions, 3,674 workers could be unionized depending on the result of the elections.
CUPA-HR will continue to monitor this NLRB data and keep members apprised of future higher education union organizing trends.
*The NLRB is a federal agency and only has jurisdiction over private employers, which includes private higher education institutions. Public institutions handle collective bargaining activity with their state and local labor relations agencies. CUPA-HR regularly tracks activity from the NLRB and is providing an overview of union activity at private institutions, but members at public institutions are encouraged to share union activity with the CUPA-HR government relations team as it occurs.
**To compile the data, CUPA-HR searched for “Election Results” and “R Case Reports” that included the search terms “university,” “college,” and “school” during the calendar year 2023 and from January 1, 2024 to March 4, 2024.
***The grouped data below do not add up to 48 total elections because some units included multiple groups (i.e. undergraduate and graduate students, tenured and non-tenured faculty, etc.).
