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Deregulation and Labor Earnings in the Airline Industry

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  • David Card

Abstract

This paper uses a variety of data sources to study the effect of deregulation on the structure of wages in the airline industry. Microdata from the 1980 and 1990 Censuses show a 10 percent decline in the relative earnings of airline workers after deregulation, with roughly similar declines for industry-specific occupations (pilots and flight attendants) and general occupations (managers and secretaries). Union contract data for pilots, flight attendants and mechanics at the major firms show similar trends in the levels of earnings along with a rise in inter-firm wage inequality -- especially for pilots. Finally, data from the displaced worker surveys reveal that airline workers experienced similar wage losses to job-losers from other industries over the 1980s. Taken as a whole, the evidence suggests that the rent premiums earned by airline workers in the regulatory era were relatively modest, and comparable to the wage premiums earned in many other sectors.

Suggested Citation

  • David Card, 1996. "Deregulation and Labor Earnings in the Airline Industry," NBER Working Papers 5687, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:5687
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Dag Morten Dalen & Nils-Henrik M von der Fehr & Espen R Moen, 2003. "Regulation with wage bargaining," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 113(487), pages 525-538, April.
    2. Maria Guadalupe, 2007. "Product Market Competition, Returns to Skill, and Wage Inequality," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 25(3), pages 439-474.
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    7. Erica L. Groshen & David K. Levine, 1998. "The rise and decline(?) of U.S. internal labor markets," Research Paper 9819, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
    8. Janice Bellace, 2014. "American Unions And The Economy — The Unheard Voice Of A Shrinking Sector," The Singapore Economic Review (SER), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 59(04), pages 1-20.
    9. Abigail K. Wozniak, 2007. "Product Markets and Paychecks: Deregulation's Effect on the Compensation Structure in Banking," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 60(2), pages 246-267, January.
    10. Sonja Jovicic & Ronald Schettkat, 2013. "Does Inequality Promote Employment? An International Comparison," Schumpeter Discussion Papers SDP13009, Universitätsbibliothek Wuppertal, University Library.
    11. Fernandes, Ana P. & Ferreira, Priscila & Alan Winters, L., 2014. "Firm entry deregulation, competition and returns to education and skill," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 210-230.
    12. Bouis, Romain & Duval, Romain & Eugster, Johannes, 2020. "How fast does product market reform pay off? New evidence from non-manufacturing industry deregulation in advanced economies," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 198-217.
    13. Dalen, D.M. & von der Fehr, N.-H.M. & Moen, E.R., 1998. "Regulation and Wage Bargaining," Memorandum 13/1998, Oslo University, Department of Economics.
    14. Hübler, Olaf & Meyer, Wolfgang, 2000. "Industrial Relations and the Wage Differentials between Skilled and Unskilled Blue-Collar Workers within Establishments: An Empirical Analysis with Data of Manufacturing Firms," IZA Discussion Papers 176, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    15. Dube Arindrajit & Reddy Sanjay G., 2014. "Threat Effects and Trade: Wage Discipline through Product Market Competition," Journal of Globalization and Development, De Gruyter, vol. 4(2), pages 213-252, March.
    16. Peter Gottschalk & Robert Moffitt, 1994. "The Growth of Earnings Instability in the U.S. Labor Market," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 25(2), pages 217-272.
    17. Pierre-Yves Crémieux, 1996. "Le marché du travail et l'évolution des salaires dans le transport aérien aux États-Unis : l'effet de la déréglementation de 1978," Économie et Prévision, Programme National Persée, vol. 126(5), pages 45-61.
    18. Camille Logeay & Sabine Stephan & Rudolf Zwiener, 2011. "Driving forces behind the sectoral wage costs differentials in Europe," IMK Working Paper 10-2011, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    19. Alexey Levkov, 2010. "Branching of banks and union decline," Supervisory Research and Analysis Working Papers QAU10-7, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
    20. Nicole M. Fortin & Thomas Lemieux, 1997. "Institutional Changes and Rising Wage Inequality: Is There a Linkage?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 11(2), pages 75-96, Spring.
    21. Jennifer K. Shanefelter, 2008. "Restructuring, Ownership and Efficiency: The Case of Labor in Electricity Generation," EAG Discussions Papers 200812, Department of Justice, Antitrust Division.
    22. Tinh Doan & Tran Quang Tuyen & Hien Nguyen, 2018. "Local Competitiveness and Labour Market Returns in a Transition Economy: Evidence from Vietnam," Working Papers in Economics 18/06, University of Waikato.
    23. Disney, Richard F & Gosling, Amanda, 2003. "A New Method for Estimating Public Sector Pay Premia: Evidence from Britain in the 1990's," CEPR Discussion Papers 3787, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    24. Schettkat, Ronald, 2003. "Koordination von Lohnverhandlungen (Coordination of wage bargaining)," Mitteilungen aus der Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 36(4), pages 634-648.
    25. Schettkat, Ronald, 2003. "Koordination von Lohnverhandlungen (Coordination of wage bargaining)," Mitteilungen aus der Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 36(4), pages 634-648.

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    JEL classification:

    • J4 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets

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