Tuesday 28 July 2020

Gender differences in the union wage premium? A comparative case study

an article by Alex Bryson (University College London, UK), Harald Dale-Olsen (Institutt for samfunnsforskning, Norway) and Kristine Nergaard (Fafo, Norway) published in European Journal of Industrial Relations Volume 26 Issue 2 (June 2020)

Abstract

Trade unions have changed from being male dominated to majority-female organisations.

We use linked employer-employee surveys for Norway and Britain to examine whether, in keeping with a median voter model, the gender shift in union membership has resulted in differential wage returns to unionisation among men and women.

In Britain, while only women receive a union wage premium, only men benefit from the increased bargaining power of their union as indicated by workplace union density. In Norway, however, both men and women receive a union wage premium in male-dominated workplaces; but where the union is female dominated, women benefit more than men.

The findings suggest British unions continue to adopt a paternalistic attitude to representing their membership, in contrast to their more progressive counterparts in Norway.

Labels:
unions, gender, wages,


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