Labor unions’ popularity in the US among working Americans has reached a peak in 2022. Union activity has received increased media coverage in recent years. For example, workers from Amazon and Starbucks staged well-publicized union drives in 2021.

Union drives lose popularity when employers intimidate workers. Participation in unions has decreased over the decades, and the majority of the decline is in the private sector of the workforce. A union drive is when employees of an organization attempt to form a union. A union, also referred to as trade union, is a group of workers who collaborate to bargain with their employees over wages and benefits.

Although unionization efforts are becoming more popular, union membership is still on the decline. Starbucks employees planned their successful union drive back in 2015. A group of workers believed they were treated as disposable employees. They began a campaign called Starbucks Workers United, gained members, and ultimately petitioned for an election in 2021 which they won.

Despite the success of the Starbucks union drive, employees nationwide are reluctant to stage campaigns. Employers use all measures to prevent campaigns from being created.