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Why So Unhappy? The Effects of Unionisation on Job Satisfaction

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Author Info
Bryson, Alex (Policy Studies Institute and CEP)
Cappellari, Lorenzo () (Catholic University of Milan, CESifo and IZA Bonn)
Lucifora, Claudio (Catholic University of Milan and IZA Bonn)

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Abstract

We use linked employer-employee data to investigate the job satisfaction effect of unionisation in Britain. We depart from previous studies by developing a model that simultaneously controls for the endogeneity of union membership and union recognition. We show that a negative association between membership and satisfaction only emerges where there is a union recognised for bargaining, and that such an effect vanishes when the simultaneous selection into membership and recognition is taken into account. We also show that ignoring endogenous recognition would lead to conclude that membership has a positive effect on satisfaction. Our estimates indicate that the unobserved factors that lead to sorting across workplaces are negatively related to the ones determining membership and positively related with those generating satisfaction, a result that we interpret as being consistent with the existence of queues for union jobs.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) in its series IZA Discussion Papers with number 1498.

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Length: 29 pages
Date of creation: Feb 2005
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp1498

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Related research
Keywords: job satisfaction; union membership; union recognition; endogeneity;

Other versions of this item:

Find related papers by JEL classification:
J28 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy
J51 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Trade Unions: Objectives, Structure, and Effects

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References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Alex Bryson & Lorenzo Cappellari & Claudio Lucifora, 2004. "Does Union Membership Really Reduce Job Satisfaction?," British Journal of Industrial Relations, Blackwell Publishers Ltd/London School of Economics, vol. 42(3), pages 439-459, 09. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  2. John S. Heywood & W. S. Siebert & Xiangdong Wei, 2002. "Worker sorting and job satisfaction: The case of union and government jobs," Industrial and Labor Relations Review, ILR Review, ILR School, Cornell University, vol. 55(4), pages 595-609, July.
  3. Booth, Alison L & Bryan, Mark L, 2001. "The Union Membership Wage Premium Puzzle: Is There A Free-Rider Problem?," CEPR Discussion Papers 2879, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  4. Alex Bryson & Rafael Gomez, 2003. "Segmentation, Switching Costs and the Demand for Unionization in Britain," CEP Discussion Papers dp0568, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE. [Downloadable!]
  5. Keith A. Bender & Peter J. Sloane, 1998. "Job satisfaction, trade unions, and exit-voice revisited," Industrial and Labor Relations Review, ILR Review, ILR School, Cornell University, vol. 51(2), pages 222-240, January.
  6. Clark, Andrew E., 1997. "Job satisfaction and gender: Why are women so happy at work?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 4(4), pages 341-372, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  7. Black, Dan A. & Smith, J.A.Jeffrey A., 2004. "How robust is the evidence on the effects of college quality? Evidence from matching," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 121(1-2), pages 99-124. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  8. Michael E. Gordon & Angelo S. Denisi, 1995. "A re-examination of the relationship between union membership and job satisfaction," Industrial and Labor Relations Review, ILR Review, ILR School, Cornell University, vol. 48(2), pages 222-236, January.
Full references

Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Haile, Getinet Astatike, 2009. "Workplace Job Satisfaction in Britain: Evidence from Linked Employer-Employee Data," IZA Discussion Papers 4101, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
  2. repec:ese:iserwp: is not listed on IDEAS
  3. Lucie Davoine & Christine Erhel, 2008. "La qualité de l'emploi en Europe : une approche comparative et dynamique," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-00311365_v1, HAL. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Benjamin Artz, 2008. "Fringe Benefits and Job Satisfaction," Working Papers 08-03, UW-Whitewater, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
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