How and why has the role of public sector unions changed over the years in the United

States?

Public sector unions were once the driving force, but as the time progressed, these unions began to

diminish. The rise and decline of unions in the last century is well documented: Representing more

than one-third of U.S. workers by the mid-20th century, unions were a countervailing power against

business and government in American democracy (Early, 2013; Galbraith, 2010; Hacker &

Piearson, 2016; Reich, 2007). Widespread buyouts and layoffs from the 2008 recession further

increased job uncertainty among employees (Hacker, 2006; Hacker & Piearson, 2016; Sundheim,

2013; Tugend, 2014). The union movement, in fact, has been on the defensive to protect fair labor

standards established during the New Deal, as pay and benefits have largely plateaued during in

recent decades.