What Do Unions DoThis comprehensive economic assessment of unions by two Harvard economists challenges the prevailing view of trade unions as monopolies whose main function is to raise their members' wages at the expense of the general public. Using data from individuals and business establishments, they demonstrate that in addition to raising wages, unions have significant non-wage effects on industrial life. Unionization, they argue, often leads to higher productivity, more stable work force and provides protection for vulnerable employees. They describe the role of unions as the collective voice of workers, which creates a vehicle of direct communication between workers and management. |
Contents
The ExitVoice Tradeoff | 94 |
Adjustment to Business Cycles | 111 |
The Role of Seniority | 122 |
Copyright | |
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AFL-CIO analysis antilogs average blue-collar workers Bureau of Labor changes collective bargaining compared compensation contracts costs Current Population Survey Department of Labor differential earnings effect of unionism employees Employment Survey establishments estimated favor figures fringe benefits grievance impact of unionism Industrial and Labor Industrial Relations inequality job satisfaction Journal Labor Economics labor law Labor Relations Review Labor Statistics Landrum-Griffin Act layoffs legislation less lower major manufacturing ment monopoly wage National Longitudinal Survey NLRB elections nonunion firms nonunion workers percent plants policies political productivity profits Quality of Employment quit R. B. Freeman senior workers social strikes studies Teamsters tenure tion Trade Unions turnover U.S. Department unfair labor practices union and nonunion union democracy union effect union members Union Nonunion union organizing union sector union status union wage effect union wage gains union workers unionism reduces unions raise United white-collar white-collar workers workforce