Although in the United States it is generally believed that the presence of a union has little effect on workplace safety and health, there is a paucity of empirical evidence to support this perception. In this study, the author attempts to provide a preliminary quantitative basis on which the union's role in this area could be evaluated. Examination of the health and safety records of 26 industries over a 9-year period revealed that in some years, greater union coverage is associated with fewer serious on-the-job accidents. However, the average number of days lost from work due to injury was found to increase in direct relation to an increase in industry unionization. Implications of these findings are discussed.
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