Do Strikes Kill? Evidence from New York State

Jonathan Gruber and Samuel Kleiner

American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 2012, vol. 4, issue 1, 127-57

Abstract: Hospitals now represent one of the largest union sectors of the US economy, and there is particular concern about the impact of strikes on patient welfare. We analyze the effects of nurses' strikes in hospitals on patient outcomes in New York State. Controlling for hospital specific heterogeneity, the results show that nurses' strikes increase in-hospital mortality by 18.3 percent and 30-day readmission by 5.7 percent for patients admitted during a strike, with little change in patient demographics, disease severity or treatment intensity. The results suggest that hospitals functioning during nurses' strikes do so at a lower quality of patient care. (JEL H75, I11, I12, J52)

JEL-codes: H75 I11 I12 J52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2012
Note: DOI: 10.1257/pol.4.1.127
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (27)

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Working Paper: Do Strikes Kill? Evidence from New York State (2010)
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