What Did Teachers’ Unions Do During the COVID-19 Pandemic? Evidence Based on Returns on Teacher Unionization

This study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on teachers’ labor market outcomes and estimates the returns on unionization. Using a difference-in-differences approach, I identify the effects of the pandemic on employment, earnings, and other labor market outcomes for unionized teachers...

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Main Author: Eunice S. Han
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:COVID
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8112/5/5/67
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author Eunice S. Han
author_facet Eunice S. Han
author_sort Eunice S. Han
collection DOAJ
description This study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on teachers’ labor market outcomes and estimates the returns on unionization. Using a difference-in-differences approach, I identify the effects of the pandemic on employment, earnings, and other labor market outcomes for unionized teachers relative to their non-unionized counterparts. The findings suggest that unionized teachers experienced greater job security and maintained their pre-pandemic wage premium. The role of unions varies significantly across teacher characteristics. Additionally, unionized teachers were more likely to work remotely and remain employed during the pandemic.
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spelling doaj-art-5dd0eb9cb96b4da7b5f60cdf3a338c102025-08-20T03:14:41ZengMDPI AGCOVID2673-81122025-05-01556710.3390/covid5050067What Did Teachers’ Unions Do During the COVID-19 Pandemic? Evidence Based on Returns on Teacher UnionizationEunice S. Han0Department of Economics, College of Social and Behavioral Science, University of Utah, 201 Presidents’ Cir, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USAThis study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on teachers’ labor market outcomes and estimates the returns on unionization. Using a difference-in-differences approach, I identify the effects of the pandemic on employment, earnings, and other labor market outcomes for unionized teachers relative to their non-unionized counterparts. The findings suggest that unionized teachers experienced greater job security and maintained their pre-pandemic wage premium. The role of unions varies significantly across teacher characteristics. Additionally, unionized teachers were more likely to work remotely and remain employed during the pandemic.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8112/5/5/67teachers’ unionsjob securityremote working
spellingShingle Eunice S. Han
What Did Teachers’ Unions Do During the COVID-19 Pandemic? Evidence Based on Returns on Teacher Unionization
COVID
teachers’ unions
job security
remote working
title What Did Teachers’ Unions Do During the COVID-19 Pandemic? Evidence Based on Returns on Teacher Unionization
title_full What Did Teachers’ Unions Do During the COVID-19 Pandemic? Evidence Based on Returns on Teacher Unionization
title_fullStr What Did Teachers’ Unions Do During the COVID-19 Pandemic? Evidence Based on Returns on Teacher Unionization
title_full_unstemmed What Did Teachers’ Unions Do During the COVID-19 Pandemic? Evidence Based on Returns on Teacher Unionization
title_short What Did Teachers’ Unions Do During the COVID-19 Pandemic? Evidence Based on Returns on Teacher Unionization
title_sort what did teachers unions do during the covid 19 pandemic evidence based on returns on teacher unionization
topic teachers’ unions
job security
remote working
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-8112/5/5/67
work_keys_str_mv AT euniceshan whatdidteachersunionsdoduringthecovid19pandemicevidencebasedonreturnsonteacherunionization