Unions and Upward Mobility for Service-Sector Workers

Publication Date:

Publisher: Center for Economic and Policy Research

Author(s): John Schmitt

Research Area: Labor

Keywords: Employee benefits; Health insurance

Type: Report

Coverage: United States

Abstract:

This report uses national data from the Current Population Survey (CPS) to show that unionization raises the wages of the typical service sector worker by 10.1 percent compared to their non-union peers. The study goes on to show that unionization also increases the likelihood that a service sector worker will have health insurance and a pension. The report also notes that workers with service jobs benefit as much from unionization as workers with manufacturing jobs. Selected labor-market data for service sector, by state, 2004-2007: http://www.cepr.net/documents/publications/services_unions_state_table.pdf