AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) Statistics from the federal government say there were thousands more union members in Maine in 2020 than the previous year.

Maine Public reports some 13,000 more Maine residents were in unions last year. New data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows the rate of union membership in the state increased about 3%.

AFL-CIO of Maine president Cynthia Phinney tells Maine Public that factors including more people choosing to join unions and more hiring in essential sectors contributed to the uptick. Some Maine workplaces also recently began organizing unions.