Nonunion Workers Research Articles

Factors associated with construction apprenticeship completion in the United States

Abstract The construction industry is experiencing high demand for workers. Apprenticeship programmes are essential pipelines of skilled workers into the construction industry; however, apprenticeship completion rates are only around 25%. To promote apprenticeship retention and increase the number of apprentices, it is necessary to identify factors that relate to cancellation from apprenticeship programmes (i.e., leaving prior to programme completion). Using data from the Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Database System, we descriptively characterised completion and cancellation, then conducted a time-to-event analysis of n = 335,212 construction apprentices from 2012 to 2023 to examine factors related to cancellation. Among all apprentices, 40.1% cancelled from their apprenticeship programmes, while 24.8% completed and 35.0% were actively registered at the end of the study period. Results from the time-to-event analysis show females had significantly higher odds of cancellation than males (OR: 1.11; 95% CI: 1.08, 1.15). Compared to White apprentices, American Indian/Alaska Native (OR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.08, 1.18), Black/African American (OR: 1.41; 95% CI: 1.39, 1.44), and multiracial apprentices (OR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.17) had significantly higher odds of cancellation, while Asian apprentices had significantly lower odds of cancellation (OR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.75, 0.83). Non-unionised workers were significantly more likely to cancel their apprenticeship programmes (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.74, 1.80). These results indicate that individual demographic and organisational factors can influence apprenticeship cancellation. Reducing barriers to apprenticeship completion can help address the current skilled worker shortage, and identifying factors that impact entry into the industry for minoritised groups can promote equity within the industry.

The potential for a union default to convert nonunion workers into union members: The effects of beliefs about unions' consequences, free‐riding and social customs

AbstractUnion density has fallen dramatically in many western European countries over recent decades, with grave implications for unions' strength and legitimacy regarding collective bargaining. Free‐riding remains an ongoing challenge in maintaining union membership levels, as covered nonunion workers generally receive the same collectively bargained terms as union members. To help resolve this problem, we propose a union default that would, as a legal requirement, automatically enrol all workers under coverage as union members in the first instance, but with a subsequent right to opt‐out. We use survey evidence from New Zealand to suggest that nearly half these nonunion workers working for unionised employers would retain membership if defaulted. A default would be effective at converting nonunion workers into union members partly because it would shift the norms of the workplace from nonunion to union, as per social custom theory.

BEYOND LEGAL OSSIFICATION: THE NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD AND ENDOGENOUS LEGAL MOBILIZATION

Despite widespread perceptions of the National Labor Relations Act's (NLRA) waning relevance, recent years have witnessed a surge in charges filed with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Notably, over the past decade nonunionized workers, not seeking immediate unionization, have increasingly mobilized their Section-7 right to engage in “mutual aid or protection.” Drawing on qualitative interviews and freedom-of-information-act charge data of the NLRB, this study reveals two key findings. First, some regional NLRB officials have strategically redesigned their outreach programs to target “alternative worker organizations” focusing on low-wage workers. Second, these revamped programs correlate with higher numbers of charges brought by nonunionized workers. These findings illuminate the adaptability of the political opportunity structure as officials respond to the NLRA's perceived decline by cultivating new constituencies and elucidating the law's protections for diverse organizing efforts

Labor unions, work contexts, and workers’ access to work–family policies

Abstract Unions serve as primary labor market institutions that improve employees’ working conditions, yet existing literature offers mixed results of their influence on workers’ access to work–family policies. This may be partially due to the extant literature having not considered possible variation across work contexts. In this study, I ask whether union coverage can increase workers’ access to work–family policies and examine how family-friendly work contexts—public sector organizations and female-dominated occupations—can modify these union effects in the United States. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 97 (2000–2017) and individual-fixed effect models, I analyze the impact of transitioning from a nonunion worker to a union-represented worker on the worker’s access to three work–family policies: paid parental leave, schedule control, and paid sick/vacation days. Results show that changing from a nonunion position to a union-represented one increases workers’ access to paid parental leave and paid sick/vacation days but decreases access to schedule control. The findings also show that workers in public sector organizations and female-dominated occupations tend to experience outsized benefits of union coverage on access to longer paid sick/vacation days. These findings suggest that the advantages of union coverage in workers’ access to work–family policies may be influenced by gendered work contexts.

Trabajadoras domésticas remuneradas del Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires: experiencias de organización y reconocimiento mediadas por plataformas sociodigitales

The domestic service sector in Argentina is significant for many women workers. It is a highly feminized sector, closely tied to caregiving, and extremely diverse due to the variety of tasks, work modalities, and hours involved. Performed behind “closed doors”, this profession inherently faces challenges in unionization and collective organization. This article analyzes the experiences of organization and collective participation sustained through digital mediation by paid domestic workers. The study ethnographically examines two organizations in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires mediated by digital technologies: a small traditional union holding online assemblies via Facebook and a non-unionized workers’ WhatsApp group. The common thread is that engagement and participation were made possible through the use of socio-digital platforms. Several questions are explored through participant observation in these spaces: How do workers experience participation in collective spaces mediated by digital technologies? What are the scope and limitations of using these platforms in their daily lives and union participation? What other forms of political-union participation exist in virtual interstices? The creation of political-union networks has great potential as they can alter workers’ material conditions and defend their labor rights. They can also serve as spaces for recognition and self-valuation that transform how workers perceive themselves and their fellow workers as a collective.

Unions and moral economies: An investigation into cultural pathways linking union decline to rising income inequality, 1983–2018

Declines in union density explain a considerable portion of rising US inequality among unionized and non-unionized workers. However, how union density regulates non-union wages is mainly speculative. I test the moral economy hypothesis that union density reduces inequality, in part, by fostering egalitarian wage norms that regulate compensation practices and redistributive policies. Variance function regressions suggest that wage norms may explain 12% of union density decline effects on rising within-group wage inequality between 1983 and 2018. Findings provide support for the moral economy perspective and an empirical foundation for the causal relationship between unions and inequality.

Wages Divergence and Malfeasance with Tea Garden Workers in Bangladesh: A Comparative Analysis with Suggestion for the Policymakers

The research "Wages Divergence and Malfeasance with Tea Garden Workers in Bangladesh: A Comparative Analysis with Suggestions for Policymakers" aims to explore the wage disparity and malpractice issues among tea garden workers in Bangladesh. Using a comparative analysis, the study examines the differences in wages among tea garden workers and identifies malfeasance in the sector. The study finds that wage disparity exists among tea garden workers, with women workers receiving lower wages compared to their male counterparts. Moreover, the study identifies malpractices such as bribery, illegal wage deductions, and the use of child labor in the tea garden sector. It provides policy suggestions such as increasing the minimum wage rate, ensuring transparency in wage payment, and enforcing laws to eradicate malfeasance in the sector. It also highlights the need for policymakers to address the wage disparity and malpractices in the tea garden sector to ensure the welfare of tea garden workers in Bangladesh. Study finds that tea garden workers who are members of trade unions receive higher wages compared to non-unionized workers. It further identifies the impact of climate change on the tea garden sector in Bangladesh. The research highlights the need for a gender-sensitive approach to address the wage disparity among tea garden workers. It recommends that policymakers adopt measures to promote gender equity in the sector, such as providing training and education opportunities for women workers.

Analysis of Exertion-Related Injuries and Fatalities in Laborers in the United States.

Laborers are particularly vulnerable to exertional injuries and illnesses, as they often engage in heavy physical work for prolonged hours, yet no studies have examined the top causes of catastrophic exertional injuries and fatalities among this population. The purpose of the investigation was to characterize the top causes of exertional injury and fatality within open access, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reportable data. A secondary analysis of OSHA reported injury and fatality data was performed through open access records from OSHA Severe Injury Reports (2015-2022) and OSHA fatality inspection data (2017-2020), respectively. The research team characterized each reported injury and fatality as "exertion-related" or "non-exertion-related. Injury and fatality rates were reported per 100,000 equivalent full-time worker years and included 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Of 58,648 cases in the OSHA Severe Injury Report database from 2015-2020, 1682 cases (2.9%) were characterized as exertional (0.20 injuries per 100,000 full-time worker years, 95% CI: 0.19, 0.22). Heat-related injuries encompassed 91.9% of the exertional injuries (n = 1546). From the 2017-2022 OSHA fatality inspection database, 89 (1.9%) of 4598 fatalities were characterized as exertion-related (fatality rate: 0.0160 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers, 95% CI: 0.009, 0.0134). The exertion-related fatalities primarily consisted of heat-related cases (87.6%). Exertion-related injuries and fatalities were most reported in Southeast states, in the construction and excavation industry, and among nonunionized workers. As heat stress continues to be recognized as an occupational health and safety hazard, this analysis further highlights the need for targeted interventions or further evaluation of the impact of heat stress on construction and excavation workers, nonunionized workers, and workers in Southeastern states.

Right-to-Work Laws: Impacts on the Labor Market, Union Organizing, and Social Equity

Right-to-work (RTW) laws do not require workers to pay dues in order to become a member of a labor union as a condition of employment. State governments, particularly those in the Midwest and South, have introduced RTW laws to attract businesses and industrialize local economies. Consequently, the laws increase competition among nonunion workers, driving wages down. The laws also weaken labor unions’ ability to bargain for wage increases, especially as unions are strained to bargain for workers that are not dues-paying members. After implementation, RTW laws generally increase economic inequality. However, the local socioeconomic conditions, such as racial and gender diversity in the labor force, can influence the demand for union representation and may impact the degree to which economic inequality will change. There have been repeated attempts to expand RTW to the national level, but these attempts would risk magnifying wage disparities, undermining unions’ bargaining power, and exacerbating socioeconomic inequalities.

Trends in Labor Unionization Among US Health Care Workers, 2009-2021

Labor unionization efforts have resurged in the US, and union membership has been shown to improve worker conditions in some industries. However, little is known about labor unionization membership and its economic effects across the health care workforce. To examine the prevalence of labor unionization among health care workers and its associations with pay, noncash benefits, and work hours. This cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the Current Population Survey and Annual Social and Economic Supplement from 2009 through 2021. The US nationally representative, population-based household survey allowed for a sample of 14 298 self-identified health care workers (physicians and dentists, advanced practitioners, nurses, therapists, and technicians and support staff). Self-reported membership status or coverage in a labor union. Prevalence and trend in labor unionization. Further comparisons included mean weekly pay, noncash benefits (pension or other retirement benefits; employer-sponsored, full premium-covered health insurance; and employer's contribution to the worker's health insurance plan), and work hours. The 14 298 respondents (81.5% women; 7.1% Asian, 12.0% Black, 8.5% Hispanic, 70.4% White individuals; mean [SD] age, 41.6 [13.4] years) included 1072 physicians and dentists, 981 advanced practitioners, 4931 nurses, 964 therapists, and 6350 technicians and support staff. After weighting, 13.2% (95% CI, 12.5% to 13.8%) of respondents reported union membership or coverage, with no significant trend from 2009 through 2021 (P = .75). Among health care workers, those who were members of a racial or ethnic minority group (Asian, Black, or Hispanic individuals compared with White individuals) and those living in metropolitan areas were more likely to report being labor unionized. Reported unionization was associated with significantly higher reported weekly earnings ($1165 vs $1042; mean difference, $123 [95% CI, $88 to $157]; P < .001) and higher likelihood of having a pension or other retirement benefits at work (57.9% vs 43.4%; risk ratio [RR], 1.33 [95% CI, 1.26 to 1.41]; P < .001) and having employer-sponsored, full premium-covered health insurance (22.2% vs 16.5%; RR, 1.35 [95% CI, 1.17 to 1.53]; P < .001). Union members reported more work hours (37.4 vs 36.3; mean differences, 1.11 [95% CI, 0.46 to 1.75]; P < .001) per week. White workers reported mean weekly earnings that were significantly more than members of racial and ethnic minority groups among nonunionized workers ($1066 vs $1001; mean difference, $65 [95% CI, $40 to $91]; P < .001), but there was no significant difference between the 2 groups among unionized workers ($1157 vs $1170; mean difference, -$13 [95% CI, -$78 to $52]; P = .70). From 2009 through 2021, labor unionization among US health care workers remained low. Reported union membership or coverage was significantly associated with higher weekly earnings and better noncash benefits but greater number of weekly work hours.

A membership for quality of life? The mediating effect of job satisfaction between work alienation and life satisfaction in unionised and non-unionised workers

People spend a large part of their awake time at work, which can have a huge impact on their life satisfaction. Scholars have found that job satisfaction influences life satisfaction, but the role of work alienation is little studied. While work alienation reportedly diminishes life satisfaction, just how job satisfaction relates with these two constructs has not yet been clarified. Currently, the role of labor union membership is an underestimated aspect of this relationship. Although the relationship between union membership and job satisfaction has been variously studied, its relationship with other variables (e.g., work alienation and life satisfaction) remains less investigated. To fill this gap, the authors examined the influence of work alienation on job and life satisfaction in relation to belonging or not to a public administration workers’ union. Self-report questionnaire responses (N=479) indicated a negative relationship between work alienation and job satisfaction and a negative influence on the overall quality of life. However, the relationship between work alienation and life satisfaction was moderated by union membership. Union memberships mitigated the negative relationship between work alienation and life satisfaction and may be considered a protective factor for workers’ quality of life.

Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and Unionization in Direct Care Occupations.

Objectives. The goal of this study was to measure unionization in the direct care workforce and the relationship between unionization and earnings, looking closely at differences across race/ethnicity and gender. Methods. Using data from the Current Population Survey from 2010 to 2020, we first used logit analyses to predict the probability of unionization among direct care workers across race/ethnicity and gender. We then measured the relationship between unionization and weekly earnings. Results. We found that male (12%) and Black (14%) direct care workers were most likely to be unionized, followed by Hispanic and other direct care workers of color. Unionized direct care workers earn wages that are about 7.8% higher than nonunionized workers, but unionized workers of color earn lower rewards for unionization compared with White direct care workers. Conclusions. Unions are a mechanism for improving job quality in direct care work, and protecting workers' rights to unionize and participate in collective bargaining equitably may be a way to stabilize and grow the direct care workforce. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(11):1676-1684. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307022).

“A Question of Freedom”: Black Workers, Union Membership, and Political Participation

Despite the historic connection between labor and citizenship rights for Black people, the specific role of labor organizations in mobilizing Black workers remains understudied. This research examines the effect of union membership on Black political and civic engagement. Analyzing survey data from 1973 to 1994, results show Black union members were significantly more likely than Black nonunion workers to participate in a range of political activities, and to greater degrees, especially members with less education. Understanding unions as important sites of political activism for Black workers is critical for the growth and maintenance of both the labor movement and the Black freedom struggle.

Unions increase job satisfaction in the United States

We revisit the well-known negative association between unionization and workers’ job satisfaction in the United States, first identified over forty years ago. We find the association has disappeared since the Great Recession. The job satisfaction of both younger and older union workers in the National Longitudinal Surveys of 1979 and 1997 no longer differs compared to that of their non-union counterparts. When controlling for person fixed effects with panel data unionization is associated with greater job satisfaction throughout, suggesting that when one accounts for worker sorting into unionization, becoming unionized has always been associated with improvements in job satisfaction. We find a diminution in unions’ ability to lower quit rates which is consistent with declining union effectiveness as a ‘voice’ mechanism for unionized workers. We also find unions are able to minimize covered workers’ exposure to underemployment, a phenomenon that has increasingly negatively impacted non-union workers since the Great Recession.

Racial and Ethnic Inequities in Paid Family and Medical Leave: United States, 2011 and 2017-2018.

Objectives. To examine racial and ethnic inequities in paid family and medical leave (PFML) access and the extent to which these inequities are mediated by employment characteristics. Methods. We used data from the 2011 and 2017-2018 American Time Use Survey in the United States to describe paid leave access by race/ethnicity. We present unadjusted models, models stratified by policy-targetable employment characteristics, and adjusted regression models. Results. We found that 54.4% of non-Hispanic White workers reported access to PFML in 2017-2018 but that access was significantly lower among Asian, Black, and Hispanic workers. Inequities were strongest among private-sector and nonunionized workers. Leave access improved slightly between 2011 and 2017-2018, but the inequity patterns were unchanged. Conclusions. We observed large and significant racial and ethnic inequities in access to PFML that were only weakly mediated by job characteristics. PFML has a range of health benefits for workers and their families, but access remains limited and inequitable. Public Health Implications. Our findings suggest that broad PFML mandates (such as those in other high-income countries) may be needed to substantially narrow racial and ethnic gaps in paid leave access. (Am J Public Health. 2022;112(7):1050-1058. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2022.306825).

Effort-Reward Imbalance among a Sample of Formal US Solid Waste Workers.

Background: Solid waste workers are exposed to a plethora of occupational hazards and may also experience work-related stress. Our study had three specific hypotheses: (1) waste workers experience effort–reward imbalance (ERI) with high self-reported effort but low reward, (2) unionized workers experience greater ERI, and (3) workers with higher income have lower ERI. Methods: Waste workers from three solid waste sites in Michigan participated in this cross-sectional study. We characterized perceived work stress using the short-version ERI questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and linear tests for trend were assessed for each scale. Linear regression models were constructed to examine the relationship between structural factors of work stress and ERI. Gradient-boosted regression trees evaluated which factors of effort or reward best characterize workers’ stress. Results: Among 68 participants, 37% of workers reported high effort and low reward from work (ERI > 1). Constant pressure due to heavy workload was most indicative of ERI among the solid waste workers. Union workers experienced 79% times higher ERI than non-unionized workers, while no significant differences were observed by income, after adjusting for confounders. Conclusions: Organizational-level interventions, such as changes related to workload, consideration of fair compensation, and increased support from supervisors, can decrease work stress.

State Union Density Effects on Workers' Support for Reducing Income Inequality, 1973-2016.

Research often borrows on common yet somewhat unsubstantiated beliefs that unions influence inequality attitudes among unionized and nonunionized workers. This paper draws on inequality attitude data from the General Social Survey and state-level union data from the Current Population Survey and County Business Patterns between 1973 and 2016 to test this hypothesis. Linear probability, fixed-effects, and marginal structural models estimate that a large increase in state union density moderately increases workers’ support for reducing income inequality by three to 12 percentage points. Findings lend some empirical support for the capacity of unions to influence redistributive policy and market attitudes.

THE DEMAND TO JOIN TRADE UNIONS OF EMPLOYEES IN PRIVATE HEALTH ENTERPRISES IN THE CONTEXT OF VIETNAM’S PARTICIPATION IN CPTPP, EVFTA

Objective: Describe the current situation and needs of workers in private health facilities and solutions. Method: Cross-sectional descriptive research, combined use of the method of dosing and dosing; desk study combined with a field study of 543 workers in private health facilities established and not yet established trade unions in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh and Da Nang. Result: in 2019, private health facilities tended to increase by 14.5% compared to 2018, but only 0.65% of trade unions were established. Statistics of private health facilities have not been agreed upon between the Department of Health and the Confederation of Labor. Employees participating in trade union organizations benefit more than workers in organizations that have not participated in trade unions on social insurance, health insurance, accident insurance and toxic benefits and liability benefits. Of the interviewees 74.9% wanted workers’ representative organizations to better protect workers; 71.9% said they did not want an organization representing non-union workers in private health facilities and 22.7% did not know their position or views. Regarding the method of gathering trade union members, more than 70% of the candidates said that they must combine two methods from the bottom up and from the top down. Conclusion: the innovation of the method of gathering workers in private health facilities is an urgent requirement for trade unions at all levels.&#x0D;

Poor Man's Fortune: White Working-Class Conservatism in American Metal Mining, 1850–1950

Poor Man's Fortune: White Working-Class Conservatism in American Metal Mining, 1850–1950

Richard L. Trumka: A Labor Leader in Troubled Times

Richard L. Trumka: A Labor Leader in Troubled Times