Reversing a decades-long downward trend, the percentage of the American workforce in unions edged up last year, the U.S. Labor Department reported.

The change was minuscule – a tenth of 1 percentage point, from 12.0 to 12.1 – barely statistically significant. But for the labor movement, which is starved for any good news, even the tiniest upward blip is cause for encouragement.

Locally, Pennsylvania and Delaware saw gains in union membership and density.

New Jersey’s membership continued to slip despite big union wins among dealers in Atlantic City’s casinos and among professional and administrative staff at Rutgers University.  read more »