Merit Shops Employ Vast Majority of Construction Workers
The vast majority of construction workers in Massachusetts, New England and across the nation choose to work for merit shop employers.
82.7% of MA construction employees worked for open shops in 2025, according to unionstats.com.
Across New England, 89.13% of the construction workforce was merit shop in 2025. It's a consistent trend over at least the past 20 years.
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If being in a union is such a great deal, why do most construction workers prefer merit shops?
If union membership is such a great idea, why do unions need recruiters?
The reality is there are many reasons a construction professional selects a merit shop over the union system. They include competitive pay and benefits, steady employment, career advancement, freedom from strict union jurisdictional rules, and a variety of other reasons. The chart below shows just a few of the many.
