Data and Code for: The Effects of Import Competition on Unionization

We study direct and indirect effects of Chinese import competition on union membership in the United States, 1990-2014. Import competition in manufacturing induced a modest decline in unionization within manufacturing industries. The magnitude is small because unionized manufacturers competed in higher-quality product segments. Manufacturers in Right-to-Work states experienced more direct competition with low-quality Chinese imports. Outside manufacturing, however, import competition causes an important increase in union membership as less-educated women shift away from retail and towards jobs in healthcare and education where unions are stronger. We calculate that Chinese imports prevented 26% of the union density decline that would have otherwise occurred.

This archive includes all data and code needed to reproduce the figures and tables in the main text and appendicies.

Unit(s) of Observation:   US industries (census level), US states