THE EFFECT OF EMPLOYEE ORGANIZATIONS ON THE COMPENSATION OF POLICE OFFICERS

RICHARD C. KEARNEY AND DAVID R. MORGAN

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DOI: 10.2190/RRQ1-U6QQ-P6W5-QA7E

Abstract

Using a supply and demand model and ordinary least squares regression, the effects were analyzed of membership in employee organizations on 1976 police earnings for a group of 147 south central cities (10,000 and over). Labor demand pressures, particularly per-capita income and community size, are the most important influences on compensation levels. The unionization measure reaches statistical significance for two of five equations, but for overall compensation, fully unionized departments would expect to receive only about a 1 percent financial advantage. Subsequent analysis also revealed that unionized departments operating under a formal contract are recipients of a compensation differential, but that departments affiliated with national employee organizations do less well financially than strictly local organizations.

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