Youth-Adult Differences in the Demand for Unionization: Are American, British, and Canadian Workers All That Different?

Alex Bryson (), Rafael Gomez, Morley Gunderson () and Noah Meltz

Journal of Labor Research, 2005, vol. 26, issue 1, pages 155-167

Abstract: We examine demand for union membership amongst young and adult workers in Britain, Canada, and the United States. Using a model of representation advanced by Farber (1983, 2001) and Riddell (1993), we find that a majority of the union density differential between young and adult workers in all three countries is due to supply-side constraints rather than a lower desire for unionization by the young. This finding lends credence to two conjectures: first, tastes for collective representation do not differ substantially among workers (either by nationality or by age) and second, union representation can be fruitfully modeled as an experience-good. The experience-good properties of union membership explain the persistence of union density differentials (in this case between youth and adults) in the face of equal levels of desired representation.

Date: 2005
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Working Paper: Youth-Adult Differences in the Demand for Unionisation: Are American, British, and Canadian Workers All That Different? (2002)
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