How Young Workers Are Creating a New Opportunity for Unions

For the first time in decades, unions have a brand opportunity they can’t afford to miss.

A new survey from LaborStrong found that 77% of workers aged 18-28 believe union workplaces are better than non-union ones. More than half say unions should be tackling urgent issues like AI and automation this year — not sometime in the future. And 56% of Gen Z workers are actively seeking out unionized workplaces when considering where to work.

This is not nostalgia for the labor battles of the past. It’s a new generation’s urgent search for collective strength in a world that feels increasingly unstable.

For unions, this represents a once-in-a-generation brand opportunity: to reintroduce themselves to the rising workforce not as relics of a bygone era, but as modern advocates who are shaping the future of work.

Related: Top Career Motivations of Gen Z and Reasons They Choose an Employer

A look back: How the union brand eroded

In the mid-20th century, unions were seen as essential to the American Dream. They built the middle class, bargained for better wages and protected workers from exploitation. Union membership peaked at around 35% of the workforce in the 1950s.

But by the 1980s and 1990s, that image had changed. Economic shifts, globalization, automation and aggressive political opposition painted unions as outdated, bureaucratic and self-interested. Membership steadily declined. In the early 2000s, when many millennials entered the workforce, unions weren’t seen as necessary — or even visible — in major parts of the economy.

The union brand, once about empowerment and fairness, became associated for many with conflict, stagnation or irrelevance.

Why now: The perfect storm for rebranding

Today’s young workers face a very different world. Gig work, economic inequality, student debt and now the rise of AI and automation have created profound insecurity about the future.

In the LaborStrong survey, younger workers ranked issues like mental health, paid leave, flexible work and AI policy among their top concerns — often prioritizing them over traditional issues like wages and pensions.

They are looking for representation, but not necessarily in the ways unions have historically positioned themselves. This is the opportunity.

How unions can rebrand for today’s worker

1. Broaden the mission beyond wages and benefits

Young workers expect unions to fight for career development, mental health resources, work-life balance and protections against technological disruption.

Unions that brand themselves as forward-thinking champions of holistic worker well-being — not just paycheck guardians — will resonate far more deeply with Gen Z and millennials.

2. Speak the language of empowerment, not protectionism

Gen Z doesn’t want to be shielded from change; they want a voice in shaping it. Messaging should focus less on resisting change and more on partnering with workers to influence what the future looks like.

Instead of “stop automation,” unions should instead position themselves around “designing a future where workers and technology succeed together.”

3. Embrace transparency and technology

Young workers expect transparency and accountability. Unions should modernize how they communicate, using digital tools, real-time updates and accessible platforms to show how advocacy efforts are making a difference.

Union websites, social media and messaging should reflect a modern, mobile-first experience — not an outdated institutional tone.

4. Empower new leaders

One potential obstacle: Many existing union leaders come from generations with different priorities and communication styles. Unions need to actively elevate younger voices into leadership roles and negotiating teams.

Nothing will build brand authenticity faster than Gen Z workers seeing people like themselves shaping union agendas.

5. Make values the centerpiece

Today’s workers are values-driven. They want to align with organizations that stand for social justice, equity, sustainability and mental health. Unions that align their brand with broader social movements will build loyalty that goes far beyond any single workplace contract.

Related: Organized Labor Disputes Are on the Rise. Here’s Why Leaders Should Pay Attention

What modernized labor looks like

Recent union wins show that modernization works. The Writers Guild of America strike in 2023 put AI at the center of negotiations, leading to groundbreaking contract terms that prevent studios from using AI to write or rewrite scripts without consent.

Similarly, the United Auto Workers strike expanded the conversation beyond pay to include protections around electric vehicle production, a major shift toward future-proofing jobs. Both examples demonstrate that when unions take on new challenges and align their brand with workers’ evolving concerns, they can achieve major victories and rebuild credibility with younger generations.

If unions cling to the old brand of “us vs. them,” they’ll miss this moment. But if they show they understand the real hopes and anxieties of today’s workers — and embrace a future-driven, values-based brand — they can lead the next great era of the labor movement.

Gen Z is not asking if unions are relevant. They’re asking if unions are ready.

The organizations that can answer “yes” — clearly and boldly — are the ones that will thrive.