Public Sector Unions Promote Economic Security and Equality for Women issue brief. November 2015 Katherine Gallagher Robbins and Andrea Johnson

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1 EMPLOYMENT Public Sectr Unins Prmte Ecnmic Security and Equality fr Wmen Nvember 2015 Katherine Gallagher Rbbins and Andrea Jhnsn Public sectr unins are crucial t the ecnmic security and equality f wrking wmen, wh make up a majrity f the public sectr wrkfrce and f unin-represented public sectr wrkers. Wmen represented by public sectr unins enjy greater ecnmic stability frm higher wages and increased participatin in emplyerbased health insurance plans cmpared t public sectr wrkers nt represented by unins, which means increased ecnmic security fr their families. They als experience greater equality in wages and health benefits with their male cunterparts, cmpared t public sectr wrkers nt represented by unins. These advantages accrue t wmen represented by public sectr unins whether they are themselves unin members r nt. Key Facts Wmen are a majrity 55 percent f unin-represented public sectr wrkers. Wmen represented by public sectr unins are paid 24 percent mre than their public sectr cunterparts wh are nt represented by unins. The gender wage gap amng unin-represented public sectr wrkers is abut half that amng their public sectr cunterparts wh are nt represented by unins. Wmen represented by public sectr unins are mre likely t have emplyer-based health insurance cverage than their public sectr cunterparts wh are nt represented by unins (78 percent v. 62 percent). The gender gap in emplyer-based health insurance is ne-third smaller amng unin-represented public sectr wrkers than amng their public sectr cunterparts wh are nt represented by unins. Wages and participatin in emplyer-based health insurance are higher fr bth unin members and nn-members whm unins represent, cmpared t their public sectr cunterparts wh are nt represented by unins. Public sectr unins are imprtant fr wmen, including wmen f clr. Wmen represent the majrity f unin-represented public sectr wrkers (55.1 percent), thugh they are a minrity f unin-represented wrkers verall (46.2 percent). Wmen f clr als represent the majrity f unin-represented public sectr wrkers f clr (53.4 percent), thugh they are less than half f unin-represented wrkers f clr verall (48.7 percent). 1 The figures are even higher fr African American wmen, wh are 57.4 percent f unin-represented African American public sectr wrkers, cmpared t 53.3 percent f unin-represented African American wrkers verall. 1

2 What s at Stake: Public Sectr Unins & the Curts The ability f public sectr unins t prmte equality and ecnmic security fr wmen unin members and nnmembers alike is presently at stake in Friedrichs v. Califrnia Teachers Assciatin, a case that will be heard by the Supreme Curt this term. The case seeks t verturn a nearly 40-year-ld Supreme Curt precedent, Abd v. Detrit Bard f Educatin, which held that public sectr cllective bargaining agreements may include fair share prvisins. Everyne can chse whether r nt t jin a unin at wrk, but when the majrity f peple in a wrkplace vte t frm a unin, the unin is required by law t represent everyne in a wrkplace, whether that emplyee is a unin member r nt. Fair share prvisins require emplyees wh are represented by a unin, but chse nt t becme unin members, t cntribute t the cst f securing the benefits and prtectins the unin prvides: cllective bargaining, cntract administratin, and grievance prcesses. In the absence f such prvisins, many individuals wuld decline t pay unin dues while still seeking t take advantage f unin services, thus weakening the ability f public sectr unins t represent everyne in the wrkplace. T prmte wrkplace equality and ecnmic security fr wrking wmen, the health f public sectr unins must be prtected. Median Median Weekly Weekly Earnings Earnings f Public Sectr Sectr Wrkers, Wrkers, by Gender and Unin Status by Gender and Unin Status $1,200 $1,105 $1,000 $987 $997 $800 $795 $600 $400 $200 $0 Represented by unins Nt Represented by Unins Wmen Men Surce: NWLC calculatins based n CPS data data using IPUMS-CPS. The The "represented represented by by unins " categry iincludes individuals wh are members aand thse wh aare represented but nt members. Figures are median weekly earnings fr fr full-time, year-rund wrkers wrkers. Wmen in public sectr unins have mre equal pay. Wmen in public sectr unins have higher wages. Wmen public sectr wrkers wh are represented by unins make 24 percent mre $192 mre per week than wmen public sectr wrkers wh are nt represented by unins ($987 v. $795). Public sectr unins als raise men s wages, but the unin advantage is nt as large. Men public sectr wrkers wh are represented by unins make 11 percent mre $108 mre per week than men public sectr wrkers wh are nt represented by unins ($1,105 v. $997). 2

3 The Gender The Gender Wage Wage Gap Gap Amng Unin-Represented Public Public Sectr Sectr Wrkers Wrkers Is Half Is Half the Size the f Size the f Gap the Gap Amng Nn-Unin-Represented Public Public Sectr Sectr Wrkers Wrkers 25% 20% 20.3% 15% 10% 10.7% 5% 0% Represented by Unins Nt Represented by Unins Surce: NWLC calculatins based n CPS data using IPUMS-CPS. Figures are based n wmen s Surce: & NWLC men s calculatins median weekly based earnings n CPSfr full-time, year-rund data using wrkers. IPUMS-CPS. The Figures represented are based by n wmen's & unins men's categry median weekly includes earnings bth members fr full-time, and thse year-rund wh are wrkers. represented The but "represented nt members. by unins" ca tegry includes bth members and thse wh are represented but nt members. The gender wage gap amng unin-represented public sectr wrkers is abut half that amng their nn-unin-represented cunterparts and amng wrkers verall. Wmen represented by unins wh wrk full time, year rund in the public sectr typically make 89.3 percent f what their male cunterparts make, leaving a wage gap f 10.7 cents n the dllar. This is abut half the size f the gender wage gap amng nn-unin-represented public sectr wrkers. Nnunin-represented wmen wh wrk full time, year rund in the public sectr typically make 79.7 percent f what their male cunterparts make per week, leaving a wage gap f 20.3 cents n the dllar. This is als abut half the size f the gender wage gap amng all wrkers. Overall, wmen wh wrk full time, year rund typically make 79.8 percent f what their male cunterpar0ts make per week, leaving a wage gap f 20.2 cents n the dllar. 2 3

4 Public Public Sectr Sectr Wrkers with Emplyment-Based Health Health Insurance, Insurance, by by Gender and Unin Status Status 100% 86.0% 80% 78.1% 74.4% 60% 62.4% 40% 20% 0% Represented by Unins Nt Represented by Unins Wmen Men Surce: NWLC calculatins based n n CPS CPS data data using using IPUMS-CPS. IPUMS-CPS. Includes Includes wrkers wrkers where where the individual the individual is a plicyhlder is a plicyhlder fr emplyment-based fr emplyment-based insurance. The insurance. represented The "represented by unins by unins" categry categry includes includes bth members bth members and thse and wh thse are represented wh are represented but nt members. but nt members. Public sectr wrkers represented by unins are mre likely t have health insurance than their nn-unin-represented cunterparts this is especially true fr wmen. Mre than three-quarters (78.1 percent) f wmen public sectr wrkers wh are represented by unins are plicyhlders fr an emplyer-based health insurance plan, cmpared t 62.4 percent f their nn-uninrepresented cunterparts, a difference f 15.7 percentage pints. Men represented by unins als have increased participatin in emplyment-based health insurance, but the difference is nt as great 86.0 percent f men public sectr wrkers wh are represented by unins are plicyhlders fr an emplyer-based health insurance plan, cmpared t 74.4 percent f their nn-uninrepresented cunterparts, a difference f 11.6 percentage pints. 4

5 The Gender The Gap Gender in Emplyment-Based Gap in Health Health Insurance Insurance Is One-Third Is Smaller Smaller fr Unin-Represented fr Public Public Sectr Sectr Wrkers Wrkers Percentage Pints Represented by Unins Nt Represented by Unins Surce: NWLC calculatins based n CPS data using IPUMS-CPS. Includes wrkers where the Surce: individual NWLC is a calculatins plicyhlder fr based emplyment-based n CPS insurance. data The using represented IPUMS-CPS. by unins Includes categry where includes the individual bth members is a plicyhlder and thse wh fr are emplyment-based represented but nt members. insurance. The "represented by wrkers unins" categry includes bth members and thse wh are represented but nt members. The gender gap in emplyer-based health insurance is ne-third smaller fr uninrepresented public sectr wrkers. Men public sectr wrkers are mre likely t be plicyhlders fr an emplyer-based health insurance plan than wmen public sectr wrkers, but the gender gap is ne-third smaller amng wrkers represented by unins (7.9 percentage pints) than amng their nn-unin-represented cunterparts (12.0 percentage pints). 5

6 Wages and participatin in emplyer-based health insurance are higher bth fr unin members and nnmembers whm public sectr unins represent. Wmen in the public sectr wh are unin members typically make 25 percent mre $202 per week than wmen in the public sectr wh are nn-unin-represented wrkers ($997 v. $795). Wmen in the public sectr wh are represented by a unin but wh are nt unin members make 15 percent mre $119 per week than wmen in the public sectr wh are nn-unin-represented wrkers ($914 v. $795). The gender wage gap is smaller bth amng peple wh are unin members and peple wh are represented by unins but wh are nt unin members, cmpared t public sectr wrkers nt represented by unins and t the wrkfrce as a whle. Amng full-time, year-rund wrkers: Wmen unin members in the public sectr typically make 89.7 percent f what their male cunterparts make, leaving a wage gap f 10.3 cents n the dllar. Wmen public sectr wrkers wh are represented by unins but nt members typically make 90.0 percent f what their male cunterparts make, leaving a wage gap f 10.0 cents n the dllar. Wmen public sectr wrkers wh are nt represented by unins typically make 79.7 percent f what their male cunterparts make per week, leaving a wage gap f 20.3 cents n the dllar. Wmen wrkers in the wrkfrce as whle typically make 79.8 percent f what their male cunterparts make per week, leaving a wage gap f 20.2 cents n the dllar. Mre than three-quarters f wmen public sectr unin members (78.5 percent) and wmen public sectr wrkers wh are represented by unins but nt members (75.1 percent) are plicyhlders fr emplyerbased health insurance, cmpared t less than tw-thirds (62.4 percent) f public sectr wmen wh are nt represented by unins. Methdlgical Nte: All figures are NWLC analyses f CPS ASEC data using IPUMS. Figures are fr emplyed individuals but exclude self-emplyed wrkers. Wage gap data are median weekly earnings fr full-time, year-rund wrkers and are in 2013$. Wmen f clr are all wmen wh are nt white, nn-hispanic. Health insurance is limited t peple wh are plicyhlders f an emplyment-based plicy. A larger share f wrkers has access t health insurance than participate. 1 Mre than 30 percent f all public sectr wrkers represented by unins are peple f clr. 2 The verall wage gap figure reprted here differs slightly frm the ften reprted verall wage gap figure f 79 cents in that the figure reprted here excludes self-emplyed wrkers and is based n median weekly earnings whereas the ther figure includes self-emplyed wrkers and is based n median annual earnings. 6