A historic rebound in union membership under the Albanese government has been entirely due to growth in the public sector, concealing a new record low for union density in the private sector, fresh data reveals.

Figures compiled by the Australian Bureau of Statistics for The Australian Financial Review show private sector workers who were union members in their main job fell by more than 15,600 from 2022 to 2024, sending unions’ share of the sector down from 8.3 per cent in 2022 to just 7.9 per cent.