The Effect of Teachers' Unions on Education Production: Evidence from Union Election Certifications in Three Midwestern States

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Lovenheim, Michael F.
• 署名单位: Stanford University
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF LABOR ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0734-306X
• DOI: 10.1086/605653
• 发表日期: 2009
• 页码: 525-587
• 关键词: bargaining laws; wages

摘要

Using a unique data set on teachers' union election certifications from Iowa, Indiana, and Minnesota, I estimate the effect of teachers' unions on school district resources and on student educational attainment. My empirical strategy allows for nonparametric leads and lags of union age. I find no impact on teacher pay or per student district expenditures but that unions increase teacher employment by 5%. I find no class size effect because of enrollment increases in unionized districts, and I estimate that unions have no net effect on high school dropout rates. These findings highlight the importance of correctly measuring unionization status.