The power of unions to set nonunion pay for workers with no more than a high school diploma has fallen since 1979: Union density effect on nonunion wages of workers with a high school diploma or less education, 1979–2013
| Year | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 0.50% | 0.30% |
| 1980 | 0.63% | 0.31% |
| 1981 | 0.67% | 0.55% |
| 1983 | 0.61% | 0.50% |
| 1984 | 0.61% | 0.47% |
| 1985 | 0.55% | 0.42% |
| 1986 | 0.59% | 0.35% |
| 1987 | 0.59% | 0.33% |
| 1988 | 0.60% | 0.29% |
| 1989 | 0.55% | 0.25% |
| 1990 | 0.54% | 0.32% |
| 1991 | 0.53% | 0.34% |
| 1992 | 0.55% | 0.28% |
| 1993 | 0.59% | 0.24% |
| 1995 | 0.41% | 0.42% |
| 1996 | 0.46% | 0.25% |
| 1997 | 0.42% | 0.10% |
| 1998 | 0.57% | 0.10% |
| 1999 | 0.37% | 0.19% |
| 2000 | 0.43% | 0.13% |
| 2001 | 0.36% | 0.05% |
| 2002 | 0.40% | 0.19% |
| 2003 | 0.42% | 0.24% |
| 2004 | 0.43% | 0.32% |
| 2005 | 0.44% | 0.16% |
| 2006 | 0.39% | 0.13% |
| 2007 | 0.36% | 0.33% |
| 2008 | 0.48% | 0.26% |
| 2009 | 0.45% | 0.20% |
| 2010 | 0.59% | 0.56% |
| 2011 | 0.46% | 0.18% |
| 2012 | 0.46% | 0.11% |
| 2013 | 0.41% | 0.26% |
Notes: Lines show the predicted change in earnings for a 1 percentage-point increase in unionization. The sample is restricted to nonunion full-time workers in the private sector ages 16 to 64. Wages are measured in 2013 dollars. See the text and Methodological Appendix for details on the analysis.
Source: Authors’ compilations from the Current Population Survey (CPS) May Supplement microdata and CPS Outgoing Rotation Group microdata.