Solidarity Within and Across Workplaces: How Cross-Workplace Coordination Affects Earnings Inequality

Earnings Inequality Between Workplaces Declined in the 1970s, Increased Since 1980

Source: Author’s analysis based on the Social Security Administration earnings series (Song et al. 2018) and CPS data (Autor, Katz, and Kearney 2008).

Note: The SSA data include firms in private-sector-dominant industries and those making about a certain minimum threshold ($3,770 in 2013). March CPS data are restricted to private-sector, full-time, full-year workers, defined as working thirty-five hours and higher per week and at least forty weeks in the last year. For comparability with the SSA data, workers making less than $3,770 per year are excluded. EEEC data include private-sector establishments and are discussed in text.