Join the Union and Be Safe: The Effects of Unionization on Occupational Safety and Health in the European Union

Abstract

This paper investigates the effect of unionization on occupational safety and health, as measured by the fatal and non-fatal work accidents, after controlling for the country's gross domestic product. It uses a panel sample of 10 European Union countries, for the period 1982-2006. The study takes into account the time persistence in work injuries and the endogenous nature of the work injuries-union density relationship. In addition, the effect of union density is decomposed into a temporary and permanent effect. It is shown that increasing union density is associated with a decrease in the number of both fatal and non-fatal work injuries.

Labor unions and health: A literature review of pathways and outcomes in the workplace

“… Health outcome Prominent studies Judgment For workers only, not society at-large (except #33, #34) 29. Fatal work-related injury or illness Donado (2015) Economou and Theodossiou (2015) See Appendix Consensus: unions decrease fatal injuries 30. Non-fatal work-related injury or illness Donado (2015) Economou and Theodossiou (2015) See Appendix Disputed 31.…”

“…Fatal work-related injury or illness Donado (2015) Economou and Theodossiou (2015) See Appendix Consensus: unions decrease fatal injuries 30. Non-fatal work-related injury or illness Donado (2015) Economou and Theodossiou (2015) See Appendix Disputed 31. (a) Reported and (b) actual sickness or injury resulting in absence from work.…”

Risk of Injury by Unionization

“…An increase in union density in each country was found to be significantly associated with lower fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries after controlling for multiple covariates including average gross domestic product. (6) Another study investigated the difference between workers’ compensation claim rates in unionized and non-unionized construction firms in Canada from 2006 until 2012. Unionized firms had 14% lower lost-time claim rates than non-unionized firms.…”

Precarious employment and occupational injuries in Sweden between 2006 and 2014: a register-based study

“… 33 34 Some argue that unionised workers are less likely to suffer injuries because unions play a central role in the collective bargaining, promoting education about health and safety practices and arguing for reducing hazardous tasks. 35 Nevertheless, the few studies that exist suggest that unionised workers are more likely to have OIs and this is driven primarily by the fact that very hazardous workplaces are more likely to unionised. Such hazards have motivated workers to organise in unions in order to protect themselves.…”