Trade union density rate in Malaysia

Malaysia: Trade union density rate was 8.7 in 2018. ▼ Falling

Latest (2018)
8.7
Change on year
up 0.3%
World rank
72nd
of 86 countries
All-time high
11.12
in 2001
All-time low
8.44
in 2011
Years of data
19
2000–2018

Trade union density rate in Malaysia, 2000–2018

02.557.5102000200920182000: 10.72001: 11.12002: 112003: 10.52004: 10.52005: 102006: 10.52007: 10.32008: 10.12009: 9.92010: 9.12011: 8.42012: 9.22013: 9.12014: 8.92015: 8.82016: 8.82017: 8.72018: 8.7

Source: International Labour Organization.

Analysis

The most recent figure for trade union density rate in Malaysia is 8.7, measured in 2018.

The figure is up 0.3% on the previous year and down 14.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, trade union density rate in Malaysia peaked at 11.12 in 2001 and was at its lowest, 8.44, in 2011.

That places Malaysia 72nd 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 Malaysia, year by year

Annual values for Trade union density rate in Malaysia, 2000 to 2018.
Year Value Change
2000 10.66
2001 11.12 +4.3%
2002 11.03 -0.9%
2003 10.49 -4.9%
2004 10.52 +0.3%
2005 10.04 -4.6%
2006 10.5 +4.6%
2007 10.27 -2.2%
2008 10.13 -1.3%
2009 9.89 -2.3%
2010 9.12 -7.9%
2011 8.44 -7.4%
2012 9.25 +9.6%
2013 9.08 -1.8%
2014 8.91 -1.9%
2015 8.78 -1.4%
2016 8.81 +0.3%
2017 8.68 -1.5%
2018 8.7 +0.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 10.47 9.89 11.12 10
2010s 8.86 8.44 9.25 9

Countries ranked near Malaysia

  1. 69 Ethiopia 9.35 compare
  2. 70 France 8.89 compare
  3. 71 El Salvador 8.73 compare
  4. 73 Hungary 8.65 compare
  5. 74 Philippines 8.49 compare
  6. 75 Mali 7.52 compare

See the full ranking of 86 places →

More work & labour data for Malaysia

All data for Malaysia →

Frequently asked questions

What is trade union density rate in Malaysia?
Trade union density rate in Malaysia was 8.7 in 2018, according to International Labour Organization.
What is the highest trade union density rate recorded in Malaysia?
The highest recorded value was 11.12 in 2001.
What is the lowest trade union density rate recorded in Malaysia?
The lowest recorded value was 8.44 in 2011.
How does Malaysia rank for trade union density rate?
Malaysia ranks 72nd out of 86 countries with data for 2018.
Is trade union density rate rising or falling in Malaysia?
Over the last ten years it is down 14.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Malaysia 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 Malaysia. Statizoid, drawing on International Labour Organization. Retrieved 05 September 2026, from https://labour.statizoid.com/stat/trade-union-density-rate/malaysia/

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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.