Union and gender wage gap estimates for young workers in Ireland: a note

Abstract

This note exploits data from the YEA/ESRI Follow-Up Survey of School-Leavers from 1981 and 1982 to provide union wage gap estimates for young male and female workers. In contrast to the evidence available for the adult labour market in Ireland, the union wage effect for young male workers is found to be relatively small. Young female union members, on the other hand, fare considerably better. The union wage gap is seen to decline with employer size for both gender groups. In addition, the effects of unions on the size of the male/female gender wage gap is also assessed. In this regard, unions are seen to perform an important role in significantly reducing its magnitude.