Trade union density rate in France

France: Trade union density rate was 8.89 in 2018. ▼ Falling

Latest (2018)
8.89
Change on year
down 1.2%
World rank
70th
of 86 countries
All-time high
12.55
in 2000
All-time low
8.5
in 2007
Years of data
19
2000–2018

Trade union density rate in France, 2000–2018

0510152000200920182000: 12.52001: 12.22002: 12.22003: 11.12004: 10.62005: 10.62006: 8.62007: 8.52008: 10.72009: 8.82010: 10.82011: 9.12012: 9.12013: 11.32014: 92015: 92016: 112017: 92018: 8.9

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

In 2018, trade union density rate in France stood at 8.89.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.2% on the previous year and down 16.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, trade union density rate in France peaked at 12.55 in 2000 and was at its lowest, 8.5, in 2007.

That places France 70th out of 86 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 19 years of available data.

Trade union density rate in France, year by year

Annual values for Trade union density rate in France, 2000 to 2018.
Year Value Change
2000 12.55
2001 12.22 -2.6%
2002 12.17 -0.4%
2003 11.11 -8.7%
2004 10.63 -4.3%
2005 10.59 -0.4%
2006 8.63 -18.5%
2007 8.5 -1.5%
2008 10.7 +25.8%
2009 8.81 -17.7%
2010 10.76 +22.2%
2011 9.11 -15.3%
2012 9.13 +0.2%
2013 11.31 +23.9%
2014 9.03 -20.2%
2015 9.03 +0.0%
2016 11 +21.8%
2017 9 -18.2%
2018 8.89 -1.2%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 10.59 8.5 12.55 10
2010s 9.7 8.89 11.31 9

Countries ranked near France

  1. 67 Sri Lanka 10.1 compare
  2. 68 Türkiye 9.85 compare
  3. 69 Ethiopia 9.35 compare
  4. 71 El Salvador 8.73 compare
  5. 72 Malaysia 8.7 compare
  6. 73 Hungary 8.65 compare

See the full ranking of 86 places →

More work & labour data for France

All data for France →

Frequently asked questions

What is trade union density rate in France?
Trade union density rate in France was 8.89 in 2018, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest trade union density rate recorded in France?
The highest recorded value was 12.55 in 2000.
What is the lowest trade union density rate recorded in France?
The lowest recorded value was 8.5 in 2007.
How does France rank for trade union density rate?
France ranks 70th out of 86 countries with data for 2018.
Is trade union density rate rising or falling in France?
Over the last ten years it is down 16.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this France data come from?
The figures come from International Labour Organization, published as part of Trade union density rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Trade union density rate in France. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/trade-union-density-rate/france/

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About this data

Indicator
Trade union density rate
Source
International Labour Organization
Licence
ILO Terms of Use (attribution required)
Coverage
86 places, 1,182 data points, 2000–2020
Last refreshed

A trade union is defined as a workers' organization constituted for the purpose of furthering and defending the interests of workers. This trade union density rate conveys the number of union members who are employees as a percentage of the total number of employees. For the purpose of this indicator in particular, trade union membership excludes union members who are not in paid employment (self-employed, unemployed, retired, etc.), unless otherwise stated in the notes. The statistics presented in this table result from an ILO data compilation effort (including an annual questionnaire and numerous special enquiries), with contributions from J. Visser. For more information, refer to the Industrial Relations data (IRdata) database description.