The Unequal Power project is a multiyear interdisciplinary initiative to reexamine the foundational assumptions about the balance of power in labor market relationships. By commissioning new research in economics, law, political science, and philosophy, the initiative will examine the extent and implications of asymmetrical bargaining power—including impact on employee rights and protections, freedom, democracy, and fairness. The goal is to build an intellectual foundation for a deeper and more policy-relevant understanding of labor markets. The initiative has four dimensions:
Advancing the fields
Advancing thinking about the imbalance of power in labor markets in key fields: law, philosophy, political science, economics and sociology. This will be accomplished through convenings, literature reviews, and newly commissioned research.
Cross-fertilization
Engaging empirically oriented social scientists with the claims made about labor markets in debates within philosophy (Private Government, for example) and law (the “at-will doctrine” and other employment law issues such as forced arbitration).
Synthesis
Relying on the newly expanded analyses and empirical contributions made by the project to synthesize the material; reflecting on themes and narratives to communicate the overall findings for academics of all fields, students, activists, media, and policymakers.
Public engagement
Incorporating activists, advocacy groups, policymakers, and citizens more generally into the conversation through convenings, popular writings, and thought leadership in widely read publications.
This project is made possible through a general operating grant from the Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust.
Experts
Columbia University
University of California, Berkeley
Georgia State University
Seattle University
University of Pennsylvania
Northwestern University
University of California, Berkeley
Rutgers University–New Brunswick
Heidi Shierholz
Economic Policy Institute
Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Boston College
John Schmitt
Economic Policy Institute
Josh Bivens
Economic Policy Institute
Lawrence Mishel
Economic Policy Institute
Boston University School of Public Health
Lynn Rhinehart
Economic Policy Institute
University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Michigan
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Valerie Wilson
Economic Policy Institute