Does Public Sector Unionization Affect Job Satisfaction and Quality of Public Service?

Abstract

The author builds on prior researching regarding the relationship between job satisfaction and Labor Unions.  The author attempts to explain the anomaly that both public and private sector unionized workers report lower levels of job satisfaction and yet are workers who participate in a union have lower turnover rates.  This paper hypothesizes that unions reduce turnover by mediating job dissatisfaction.  The author cites previous research that notes that unionization is largely a result of job dissatisfaction.  Unions mediate job dissatisfaction by giving workers a "voice" in the workplace allowing them express their grievances to management while further participating in the decision-making in the union and the workplace.  The author also hypothesizes that unions help to improve overall quality of service by reducing turnover.  The author uses two different samples of doctors and nurses, one from unionized hospitals and another from non-unionized hospitals.  The evidence shows that unionized hopsitals have greater retention among doctors and nurses that leads to greater patient quality of care.  Higher retention rates mean the hospital saves time and money of having to replace doctors that are more experienced and nurses, meaning that more time is spent on improving patient quality of care and less on training and incorporating new employees.