Thread by @EconomicPolicy

NEW: The erosion of collective bargaining since 1979 has cost the median worker $3,250 annually. Declining unionization has driven 33% of the growth of the wage gap between high- and middle-wage earners.

We need the PRO Act. Learn more from @LarryMishel: epi.org/publication/er…

Lower unionization has reduced wages by 7.9% since 1979.

But this deunionization wasn’t inevitable—it was a deliberate policy choice made on behalf of wealthy interests and corporations, and it can be reversed. epi.org/publication/er…

The decline hit men the hardest given they were more likely to be in unions than women in 1979: The median hourly wage of men fell $2.49, which translates into a loss of $5,171 annually. However, current trends show that broadening unionization would benefit women as much as men.

This impact of deunionization is due to both the direct effect on wages of union workers and the “spillover” effect on wages of nonunion workers—nonunion wages are higher in occupations and industries when collective bargaining is strong.

Unions disproportionately benefit workers with low and moderate wages, workers with lower levels of education, and Black and Brown workers. Policymakers must urgently restore workers’ freedom to form a union, and that includes passing the #PROAct.

Call your U.S. senators and tell them to pass the PRO Act now! @AFLCIO actionnetwork.org/forms/pro-act?…