Historical Shifts in Later Work-Life Quality, Retirement Plans, and Pathways Among Older Union Workers: A Comparison of Two Birth Cohorts

Abstract Background and Objectives This study examines the changes in the role of labor unions on objective and subjective assessments of work-life qualities, retirement plans, and choice of retirement pathways by comparing two birth cohorts of older US adults with 18-year differences. Research Design and Methods The first five waves of the initial HRS cohort (born 1937-1942, n = 960) and Mid Baby Boomers (born 1954-1959, n = 805) from the Health and Retirement Study 1992-2018 were used. The Current Population Survey was used for obtaining industry-level union shares, the percentage of union-covered workers, for each cohort. Propensity score matching was used to examine the assessments of work-life qualities and retirement plans. Clustered competing risk analysis with propensity score matching was used to examine the choice of retirement pathways. Results Although decreasing over time, the objective aspects of later work-life qualities remain better for union-covered workers. Yet, union-covered workers are more likely to negatively assess the subjective aspects of work-life qualities. The historical shifts in retirement norms negatively impacted the subjective assessment of work-life qualities and retirement plans. The share of labor unions had differential impacts on later work-life qualities and retirement plans from union coverage status. The choice of retirement pathways differs by union coverage and birth cohort. Discussion and Implications Labor unions played important roles in shaping American workers’ later work lives and retirement transitions. These roles have changed over the last several decades due to the historical shifts in labor unions and retirement norms.