Trade union density in Portugal
Portugal: Trade union density was 13.9 Percentage of employees in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Trade union density in Portugal, 1973–2020
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage of employees.
Analysis
In 2020, trade union density in Portugal stood at 13.9 Percentage of employees. That is the lowest value across all 20 years on record.
The figure is down 23.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, trade union density in Portugal peaked at 64.6 Percentage of employees in 1973 and was at its lowest, 13.9 Percentage of employees, in 2020.
That places Portugal 20th out of 31 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Trade union density in Portugal, year by year
| Year | Percentage of employees | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 64.6 Percentage of employees | — |
| 1977 | 53.9 Percentage of employees | -16.6% |
| 1978 | 52.6 Percentage of employees | -2.4% |
| 1979 | 52.1 Percentage of employees | -1.0% |
| 1984 | 40.2 Percentage of employees | -22.8% |
| 1986 | 35.1 Percentage of employees | -12.7% |
| 1990 | 24.9 Percentage of employees | -29.1% |
| 1995 | 22.3 Percentage of employees | -10.4% |
| 1997 | 21.6 Percentage of employees | -3.1% |
| 2002 | 18.6 Percentage of employees | -13.9% |
| 2003 | 19.2 Percentage of employees | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 19.6 Percentage of employees | +2.1% |
| 2006 | 19.5 Percentage of employees | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 19.2 Percentage of employees | -1.5% |
| 2009 | 20.4 Percentage of employees | +6.2% |
| 2010 | 18.2 Percentage of employees | -10.8% |
| 2011 | 18.6 Percentage of employees | +2.2% |
| 2015 | 15.4 Percentage of employees | -17.2% |
| 2016 | 14.6 Percentage of employees | -5.2% |
| 2020 | 13.9 Percentage of employees | -4.8% |
Portugal compared with similar countries
- Portugal's 13.9 Percentage of employees is below the median for high income countries, which is 20.3 Percentage of employees, 68% of the median. (27 countries reporting)
- Portugal's 13.9 Percentage of employees is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 22 Percentage of employees, 63% of the median. (19 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 55.8 Percentage of employees | 52.1 Percentage of employees | 64.6 Percentage of employees | 4 |
| 1980s | 37.65 Percentage of employees | 35.1 Percentage of employees | 40.2 Percentage of employees | 2 |
| 1990s | 22.93 Percentage of employees | 21.6 Percentage of employees | 24.9 Percentage of employees | 3 |
| 2000s | 19.42 Percentage of employees | 18.6 Percentage of employees | 20.4 Percentage of employees | 6 |
| 2010s | 16.7 Percentage of employees | 14.6 Percentage of employees | 18.6 Percentage of employees | 4 |
| 2020s | 13.9 Percentage of employees | 13.9 Percentage of employees | 13.9 Percentage of employees | 1 |
Countries ranked near Portugal
More economy & growth data for Portugal
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate -28.55 % change on previous year (2024)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.18 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.9 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.03 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0111 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 357.11 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate 0.0135 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0081 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 260.76 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 0.8183 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is trade union density in Portugal?
- Trade union density in Portugal was 13.9 Percentage of employees in 2020, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest trade union density recorded in Portugal?
- The highest recorded value was 64.6 Percentage of employees in 1973.
- What is the lowest trade union density recorded in Portugal?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.9 Percentage of employees in 2020.
- How does Portugal rank for trade union density?
- Portugal ranks 20th out of 31 countries with data for 2020.
- Is trade union density rising or falling in Portugal?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Portugal data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Trade union density. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 20 observations, free to reuse under OECD Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
About this data
The database on Institutional Characteristics of Trade Unions, Wage Setting, State Intervention and Social Pacts (ICTWSS) was developed by Prof. Jelle Visser at the University of Amsterdam. It was first released in May 2007. In its initial form, the ICTWSS database combined data from various sources and projects with a main focus on trade union in EU and OECD countries, collective bargaining and employment relations in Europe, and social pacts. In 2021, the ICTWSS database was rebranded as the OECD/AIAS ICTWSS database to reflect the joint effort by the OECD and AIAS-HSI to ensure the continuation of the database following Prof. Visser’s retirement. The OECD/AIAS ICTWSS database is publicly available at: http://www.oecd.org/employment/ictwss-database.htm