Adam Dean, Assistant Professor of Political Science at George Washington University, and Jamie McCallum, Professor of Sociology at Middlebury College, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed separate studies they co-authored that explored the impact unions had on public health policy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
McCallum’s study found that mortality rates were 30 percent lower in unionized nursing homes, compared to non-union. Unions tend to advocate for personal protective equipment and policies that protect workers and residents, which limited the spread of the disease.
Dean’s study also revealed that Iowa school districts were more likely to adopt COVID-19 mask mandates if they were unionized.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more about these studies.