Is union membership associated with higher wages of U.S. farmworkers? An empirical analysis using the National Agricultural Workers Survey

Abstract

Using National Agricultural Workers Survey (NAWS) data, we examine which farmworkers are unionized and whether their status differs systematically from non-unionized farmworkers. Logit results indicate farmworkers are less likely to be unionized if they are Black, unauthorized to work in the U.S., less educated, have English proficiency, work for farm labor contractors (versus growers), and cultivate field (vs. horticulture) crops. Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition reveals that union members earn $0.87 more in hourly wages, are 4.8% points more likely to receive a bonus, and are 15.6% points more likely to have employer-provided health insurance than comparable non-unionized farmworkers.