Evolving African American/White socioeconomic inequality in the public sector: A review essay

JOB AUTHORITY AND EMERGING RACIAL INCOME INEQUALITIES IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

Du Bois Review Social Science Research on Race ◽

10.1017/s1742058x16000333 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 349-373

Author(s):

George Wilson ◽

Vincent J. Roscigno

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

Public Sector ◽

African Americans ◽

African American Men ◽

Work Organization ◽

General Social Survey ◽

Negative Consequences ◽

New Governance ◽

Social Survey ◽

The Public

AbstractHas the adoption of “new governance” reforms over the last two decades eroded the public sector as a long-standing occupational niche for African Americans? Utilizing data from the General Social Survey, we address this issue in the context of earnings “returns” to three levels of job authority for African American men and women relative to their White counterparts. Findings, derived from analyses of three waves of the General Social Survey, indicate that the acceleration of this “business model” of work organization in the public sector has had relatively profound and negative consequences for African American income. Specifically, racial parity in earnings returns at all levels of authority in the “pre-reform” period (1992–1994) progressively eroded during “early reform” (2000–2002) and then even more so during the “late reform” (2010–2012) period. Much of this growing public sector disadvantage—a disadvantage that is approaching that seen in the private sector—is driven largely by income gaps between White and African American men, although a similar (though smaller) racial gap is witnessed among women. We conclude by discussing the occupational niche status of public sector work for African Americans, calling for further analyses of the growing inequality patterns identified in our analyses, and drawing attention to the implications for contemporary racial disadvantages.

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The Effect of Public Sector Employment on the Earnings of White and African American Males: A Sample Selectivity Approach

The Review of Black Political Economy ◽

10.1007/bf02692738 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 23 (2) ◽

pp. 113-120

Author(s):

Michael Greene ◽

Emily Hoffnar

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

Public Sector ◽

Private Sector ◽

Labor Force ◽

Labor Force Participation ◽

African American Males ◽

Sample Selection ◽

The Public ◽

Public Sector Employment ◽

White Males

This research note uses a sample selection model to measure the earnings premium (or penalty) to public sector employment. A model correcting for both labor force participation and sectoral choice is estimated for both white and African American males. Results indicate that African American males are no better off in the public than in the private sector. Moreover, white males employed in the public sector earn significantly less than their private sector counterparts.

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