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Union membership and job satisfaction over the life course

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  • David G. Blanchflower
  • Alex Bryson

Abstract

We examine the relationship between union membership and job satisfaction over the life‐course using data from the National Child Development Study (NCDS) tracking all those born in Great Britain in a single week in March in 1958 through to age 55 (2013). We find there is a significant negative correlation between union membership and job satisfaction that is apparent across the life‐course. Lagged union membership status going back many years is negatively correlated with current job satisfaction, though its effects become statistically non‐significant when conditioning on current union membership status. These results provide a different perspective to longitudinal studies showing short‐term positive responses to switches in membership status. They are consistent with earlier work showing that this cohort of workers, and others before them, have persistently lower job satisfaction as union members compared to their non‐union counterparts.

Suggested Citation

  • David G. Blanchflower & Alex Bryson, 2022. "Union membership and job satisfaction over the life course," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(5), pages 411-429, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:indrel:v:53:y:2022:i:5:p:411-429
    DOI: 10.1111/irj.12379
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Alex Bryson & Lorenzo Cappellari & Claudio Lucifora, 2004. "Does Union Membership Really Reduce Job Satisfaction?," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 42(3), pages 439-459, September.
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    6. Alex Bryson & Michael White, 2016. "Not so dissatisfied after all? The impact of union coverage on job satisfaction," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 68(4), pages 898-919.
    7. Alex Bryson & Lorenzo Cappellari & Claudio Lucifora, 2010. "Why So Unhappy? The Effects of Unionization on Job Satisfaction," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 72(3), pages 357-380, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Artz, Benjamin & Blanchflower, David G. & Bryson, Alex, 2022. "Unions increase job satisfaction in the United States," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 173-188.

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