According to Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provisional estimates, in July 2003 the seasonally adjusted civilian labor force in Connecticut numbered 1,786,200, with approximately 92,300 workers unemployed, yielding an unemployment rate of 5.2%, compared to the national average of 6.2% for the same period. Since the beginning of the BLS data series in 1978, the highest unemployment rate recorded was 8.2% in February 1992. The historical low was 2.1% in August 2000. In 2001, 4.0% of the labor force was employed in construction; 14.8% in manufacturing; 4.4% in transportation, communications, and public utilities; 17.5% in trade; 8.4% in finance, insurance, and real estate; 29.4% in services; 13.0% in government; and 1.3% in agriculture.
During the early 20th century, Connecticut was consistently anti-union and was one of the leading open-shop states in the northeastern US. But great strides were made by organized labor in the 1930s with the support of New Deal legislation recognizing union bargaining rights. All workforce services—recruiting, training, workplace regulation, labor market information, and unemployment insurance—are offered through a statewide partnership of Connecticut's Department of Labor, Regional Workforce Development Boards, and state and community organizations.
The US Department of Labor reported that in 2002, 257,000 of Connecticut's 1,534,000 employed wage and salary workers were members of unions. This represented 16.7% of those so employed, up from 15.8% in 2001. The national average is 13.2%. In all, 273,000 workers (17.8%) were represented by unions. In addition to union members, this category includes workers who report no union affiliation but whose jobs are covered by a union contract.