What did unions do for union workers during the COVID‐19 pandemic?
基于全国代表性数据，研究发现与未加入工会的工人相比，工会会员在疫情期间就业更稳定，工会工资溢价基本不变，且更可能因疫情获得未工作时间的报酬。
Abstract This research examines the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on labour market outcomes of union workers, based on nationally representative data. I employ the difference‐in‐difference estimation to identify the effect of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the employment, labour earnings and other labour market outcomes of union workers, relative to non‐union workers. I find that, compared to non‐union workers, union workers experienced greater job security, and the pre‐pandemic union wage premium remained largely unchanged during the pandemic. There exists a large heterogeneity in the union effect on employment and real wages by worker characteristic. I also find that union workers, compared to non‐union workers, were less likely to work remotely but more likely to receive pay for hours not worked due to COVID‐19. The results suggest that unions provided workers with employment stability and an economic buffer during the pandemic‐led recession.