Unionization and Street-Level Bureaucracy: An Examination of Public School Teachers in the United States

Abstract

Union advocates and critics believe that unionization influences the performance of public organizations by altering organizational climates and street-level bureaucrats’ experiences and perceptions. However, few empirical works examine this expectation. This article contributes by exploring how variation in unionization is associated with street-level bureaucrats’ perceptions of red tape, discretion, leadership, and accountability. Using nationally representative teacher surveys from the United States, it examines how unionization was associated with teachers’ perceptions over a 9-year period. Although there was some evidence that unionization had a negative association with accountability, the article shows that unionization was not a strong, consistent predictor of street-level bureaucrats’ perceived experiences.