The Two Faces of Unionism

45 Pages Posted: 3 Jan 2002 Last revised: 1 Jan 2023

See all articles by Richard B. Freeman

Richard B. Freeman

National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER); University of Edinburgh - School of Social and Political Studies; Harvard University; London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) - Centre for Economic Performance (CEP)

James L. Medoff

Harvard University - Department of Economics; National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER)

Date Written: June 1979

Abstract

Our research demonstrates that the view of unions as organizations whose chief function is to raise wages is seriously misleading. For in addition to raising wages, unions have significant non-wage effects which influence diverse aspects of modern industrial life. By providing workers with a voice both at the workplace and in the political arena, unions can and do affect positively the functioning of the economic and social systems. Although our research on the non-wage effects of trade unions is by no means complete and some results will surely change as more evidence becomes available, enough work has been done to yield the broad outlines of a new view of unionism.

Suggested Citation

Freeman, Richard B. and Medoff, James L., The Two Faces of Unionism (June 1979). NBER Working Paper No. w0364, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=261218

Richard B. Freeman (Contact Author)

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James L. Medoff

Harvard University - Department of Economics ( email )

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