Worker Power and Class Polarization in Intra-Year Work Hour Volatility

Area of Science:

• Labor Economics
• Sociology of Work
• Socioeconomic Inequality

Background:

• Precarious work and its class polarization are increasing in the U.S.
• Instability in work hours is a key dimension of precarious employment.
• Limited understanding exists regarding intra-year work hour volatility and its polarization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify month-to-month work hour volatility.
• To assess class-based polarization in work hour volatility.
• To examine the moderating role of worker power on this polarization.

Main Methods:

• Utilized panel data from the Current Population Survey (CPS).
• Estimated intra-year volatility in actual hours worked over four consecutive months.
• Employed regression analyses controlling for demographics, occupation, and industry.

Main Results:

• Low-wage workers exhibit significantly higher work hour volatility.
• Reduced marketplace bargaining power (higher unemployment) increases polarization.
• Increased associational power (union coverage) decreases wage-based polarization.

Conclusions:

• Work hour volatility is a significant aspect of precarious work, disproportionately affecting low-wage employees.
• Worker power, both marketplace and associational, plays a crucial role in moderating socioeconomic disparities in job quality.