New survey reveals younger workers trust unions but want them to expand their priorities beyond wages and benefits.
As AI and automation reshape the job market, younger workers are looking for unions to advocate for fair policies, address economic stability and ensure career development opportunities alongside traditional concerns. The latest research from LaborStrong, an online initiative of MagnaCare, found that 77% of workers aged 18–28 believe union workplaces are better than non-union workplaces. Additionally, these younger workers believe unions should evolve their role beyond wages and benefits to actively shape the future of work.
“Modern issues like AI and automation are transforming jobs, and unions must lead the charge to ensure these advancements create more opportunities. Younger employees see this shift happening and look to unions to shape the future of work, setting standards that keep the workforce strong and competitive.”
The 2025 LaborStrong Perceptions and Priorities of Labor Survey, conducted via the third-party platform Pollfish, gathered responses from 1,000 U.S. adults to examine how unions are perceived, their role in the workplace and what issues workers believe should be prioritized.
Key findings from the report include:
- More than half of younger workers say unions should address AI and automation within the next year–mirroring union demands seen in Hollywood, auto manufacturing and logistics industries–followed by wage inequality and remote/hybrid work policies.
- As burnout and mental health concerns dominate workplace discussions, Gen Z workers (ages 18-28) rank paid leave and work-life balance as more than twice as important as those aged 45–60 and over three times as important compared to workers 61 and older.
- Trust in unions to represent workers effectively peaks when people are in their 30s and 40s. While 66% of workers in their 30s and 40s say they trust unions to represent workers effectively, that confidence drops to 44% among those over 60. This indicates an opportunity for unions to tailor their advocacy efforts to ensure they remain a trusted resource for workers at every career stage.
- 56% of Gen Z workers actively seek out union workplaces, whereas just 39% of Gen X workers (ages 45–60) consider whether a job is unionized when evaluating new employment.
- Union workplaces are seen as better across the board, but older workers are less convinced. While 77% of Gen Z respondents believe union workplaces provide better benefits, fairer treatment and improved workplace safety, that confidence drops to 54% among workers over 60–further highlighting a generational gap in union sentiment.
The data demonstrates a high confidence in unions peaking among those in their 30s and 40s before declining among older workers, highlighting generational gap in trust. This suggests unions must strike the balance between reinforcing their value to older employees–who may feel disconnected from modern labor movements and Gen Z values–while continuing to evolve to meet the expectations of younger generations. Additionally, although Gen X workers may be less likely to consider union representation when job searching, unions have a chance to better communicate their benefits to a workforce that spans multiple economic and technological shifts.
“The role of unions has always been to protect workers, but in 2025, protection means adapting to new workforce challenges,” said Joe Morrone, Vice President of Labor Relations & Business Development at MagnaCare. “Modern issues like AI and automation are transforming jobs, and unions must lead the charge to ensure these advancements create more opportunities. Younger employees see this shift happening and look to unions to shape the future of work, setting standards that keep the workforce strong and competitive.”
The survey findings suggest a pivotal moment for organized labor unions, emphasizing the need to reinforce core principles while embracing the challenges of a rapidly changing workforce, so unions remain trusted advocates for workers.