Unpacking Union Density: Membership and Coverage in the Transformation of the Israeli IR System

To understand the transformation of the industrial relations (IR) system in Israel, we propose a four-group typology according to workers' membership in unions and coverage of collective agreements. Using this typology, and relying on various data sources, we estimate that in 2000 membership was 40 to 45 percent, and coverage was about 56 percent, down from 80 to 85 percent for both measures in 1981. The data also reveal the emerging differences among the four groups, including income differentials. Moreover, comparing workers' actual membership and coverage with their preferences suggests that the system has not yet reached equilibrium. The study demonstrates that only a four-group typology succeeds in surfacing the complex nature of union decline.