Unions, technology and social class inequalities in the US, 1984–2019

Earnings inequality in the U.S. has grown in recent decades, with social class playing a key role in this trend. While technological advancements and declining unionization are often cited as drivers of wage disparities, their impact on class-based inequalities remains less explored. This study examines how technology and de-unionization have shaped earnings across occupational classes from 1984 to 2019. Using industry-level data on union density, computer investments, and class earnings, the analysis reveals distinct patterns. Non-manual workers saw wage growth, while manual workers faced stagnation or decline. Findings suggest that computerization had little differential impact on class earnings across industries. However, de-unionization significantly widened class gaps. Lower-class earnings were more closely tied to union presence, and manual workers were concentrated in industries hit hardest by union decline.