Journal Article

Not so dissatisfied after all? The impact of union coverage on job satisfaction

Authors

Publication date

05 May 2016

Summary

The links between unionization and job satisfaction remain controversial. In keeping with the existing literature we find statistically significant negative correlations between unionization and overall job satisfaction. However, failure to account for fixed unobservable differences between covered and uncovered employees leads to a systematic underestimate of the effects of coverage on both overall job satisfaction and satisfaction facets for both union members and non-members. Once one accounts for these differences between covered and uncovered employees, union coverage is positively and significantly associated with satisfaction with pay and hours of work. Examination of the pay satisfaction effect indicates this is apparent for employees who attain coverage in the same job and for those who become covered when switching employers, but the effect is not apparent for job switchers who remain with the same employer. Furthermore, the ‘new’ coverage effect on pay satisfaction dissipates over time.

Published in

Oxford Economic Papers

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oep/gpw018

ISSN

16

Subjects

Labour Economics, Wages And Earnings, and Well Being

Links

University of Essex, Albert Sloman Library Periodicals *restricted to University of Essex registered users* - http://serlib0.essex.ac.uk/record=b1607753~S5

Notes

Online Early

#523687