Most Construction Workers in Missouri and Kansas Choose Freedom Over Forced Unionization

As policymakers at the federal and state levels debate labor reforms that would dramatically reshape the construction industry, newly released data sends a clear and compelling message: construction workers overwhelmingly continue to choose independence over union affiliation.

According to a 2024 analysis from Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) using data from UnionStats.com and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, an overwhelming 73.4% of Missouri’s construction workforce and 92.1% of Kansas’s construction workforce do not belong to a union. These numbers are more than statistics—they reflect a deep-rooted commitment to worker freedom, merit-based opportunity, and open competition.

Nationally, union membership in the construction sector declined again in 2024. While nearly 8 million construction workers across the country are not union members, total union membership fell by 38,000 from the previous year. Today, a record-high 89.7% of all U.S. construction workers are not union-affiliated, up from 89.3% in 2023.

Worker Choice, Not Government Coercion

Despite four years of aggressive, union-favoring policy proposals by what has been dubbed “the most pro-union administration in history,” the workforce continues to reject a one-size-fits-all approach to employment. Workers are making it clear: they want the ability to chart their own career path, seek out the best opportunities, and work in environments driven by performance, not politics.

“More and more Missouri and Kansas construction workers work for nonunion employers, defying four years of new union-friendly policy schemes advanced by the self-declared most pro-union president in history,” said Michele Roberts-Bauer, president of ABC Heart of America. “In contrast, commonsense policies providing opportunities for all of America’s construction workforce are rooted in the ideals of merit and worker choice, which help taxpayers get the best possible infrastructure products at the best possible price.”

ABC Heart of America has consistently championed these ideals, advocating for policy solutions allowing all construction professionals—regardless of affiliation—to thrive in a competitive, safe, high-performing industry.

Policy Must Reflect the Modern Workforce

As legislative bodies at the federal, state, and local level weigh labor-related policies, it is imperative that lawmakers ground their decisions in economic reality, not ideology.

Construction leaders face a projected skilled labor shortage of 439,000 workers in 2025, compounded by inflation, high interest rates, regulatory hurdles, and the expiration of key tax provisions. Saddling businesses with more federal mandates or forced unionization mechanisms—such as card check, ambush elections, or banned employer communications—would only worsen the crisis.

“Workers’ choice to affiliate with unions independent of government interference creates immense value in the marketplace,” said Roberts-Bauer. “That’s why ABC Heart of America will continue to advocate for all construction workers to choose how to achieve their career dreams and prosper in a safe and healthy environment.”

ABC’s Message to Policymakers: Protect Freedom, Expand Opportunity

Whether in Jefferson City, Topeka, or Washington, D.C., elected leaders should take note: the construction workforce is speaking with its feet. They’re choosing flexibility, opportunity, and merit-based advancement over rigid organized labor structures. It’s time our laws and policies catch up.

ABC Heart of America is calling on our elected officials at all levels of government to:

Prioritize fair and open competition on public projects
Reject forced unionization tactics and regulatory overreach
Invest in workforce development and training, not government control
Support tax and regulatory reforms that allow contractors to grow and compete.

As we celebrate ABC’s 75th anniversary in 2025, we remain committed to advocating for the merit shop philosophy, worker freedom, and the kind of pro-growth, pro-worker policies that have built America—one jobsite at a time.

For more information, visit abcksmo.org.