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Does Policy Advocacy Generate Good PR? Evidence from Labor Unions and Minimum Wages

Author

Listed:
  • Clemens, Jeffrey

    (University of California, San Diego)

  • Strain, Michael R.

    (American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research)

Abstract

We develop new facts relating news coverage, interest groups, and events in the legislative histories of minimum wage increases. First, we create and validate a database of news articles that includes coverage of minimum wages and organized labor. Second, we show that policy changes predict increases in news coverage that connects organized labor and minimum wages, in particular when those articles reference high-profile interest groups and research output. Third, these policy events lead coverage of organized labor to shift towards articles about minimum wages. We observe that the minimum wage's popularity with the public makes this shift qualify as "good PR," an assessment that is supported by sentiment analysis of articles about organized labor. This public relations channel can thus help rationalize why interest groups engage in policy advocacy.

Suggested Citation

  • Clemens, Jeffrey & Strain, Michael R., 2023. "Does Policy Advocacy Generate Good PR? Evidence from Labor Unions and Minimum Wages," IZA Discussion Papers 16014, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp16014
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    Cited by:

    1. Clemens, Jeffrey & Strain, Michael R., 2023. "Why Do Labor Unions Advocate for Minimum Wage Increases?," IZA Discussion Papers 16059, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    political economy; social choice; minimum wage; unionization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D71 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Social Choice; Clubs; Committees; Associations
    • D78 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Positive Analysis of Policy Formulation and Implementation
    • P16 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Capitalist Economies - - - Capitalist Institutions; Welfare State

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