The latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show union membership has plunged by 5 per cent in the past 12 months.

 

One in five or 1.7 million employees are trade union members, which is down by more than 89,000 from the previous year.

 

Australian Council of Trade (ACTU) president, Sharan Burrow, says it is a reflection of the fear campaign surrounding WorkChoices.

 

"People were told they couldn't join a union, that they had to sign a contract, that they didn't have rights," she said.

 

"So it's not surprising."

 

A spokeswoman for Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard says the figures are consistent with international trends.

 

She says workers can make their own choices about joining a union and that it is not for government to prop-up membership.

 

The figures show full-time employees are more likely to be union members than those working part-time.

 

In the public sector, 41 per cent of employees are union members, compared to 14 per cent of those working in the private sector.

 

The figures also show only 9 per cent of people aged between 15 and 19 are union members, down from 25 per cent in 1990.

 

The ACTU says it is re-branding itself to become more attractive to younger people.