US employers collectively spend more than $1.5 billion each year on efforts to prevent labor unions from forming, according to a new analysis of regulatory filings and labor data. The spending covers legal fees, anti-union consultants and internal campaigns aimed at dissuading workers from organizing.

The report, published by the Economic Policy Institute, examined employer expenditures on union avoidance between 2015 and 2023. It found that spending has increased significantly in recent years, even as public approval of unions has climbed to its highest level in decades.

The Business of Blocking Unions

Companies hire specialized consultants to conduct mandatory employee meetings, distribute anti-union literature and advise management on legal tactics to delay or derail organizing efforts. These consultants charge hundreds of dollars per hour, and the costs are often passed on to consumers through higher prices.

The $1.5 billion figure does not include indirect expenses such as productivity lost during anti-union campaigns or the cost of hiring outside legal teams. When those are factored in, the true cost to employers is likely much higher.

Union organizing efforts, by contrast, operate on a fraction of that budget. The report notes that union spending on new organizing campaigns totals less than $200 million annually.

Why This Matters

For workers, the spending gap creates a steep obstacle. Many employees who want to unionize face well-funded opposition that can stretch certification elections out for months or years. The result is that fewer than one in 10 US workers now belong to a union, despite majority support for unions in public opinion polls.

For the broader economy, the imbalance raises questions about fairness in labor relations. Employers that spend heavily to suppress union activity may undermine the bargaining power that unions provide, potentially suppressing wages and benefits across industries.

Policy makers have taken notice. The National Labor Relations Board has proposed new rules to speed up union elections and limit employer interference. But legal challenges from business groups have delayed or weakened many of those changes.

The report comes as union activity surges in sectors like auto manufacturing, healthcare and technology. Workers at companies such as Amazon and Apple recently voted to unionize at some locations, prompting those firms to launch their own anti-union campaigns.

Spending on union avoidance is expected to grow further as more organizing drives succeed. The report's authors urge lawmakers to close loopholes that allow companies to spend unlimited amounts on anti-union messaging without disclosing those costs to shareholders or the public.