Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/316931 
Year of Publication: 
2025
Series/Report no.: 
CESifo Working Paper No. 11817
Publisher: 
CESifo GmbH, Munich
Abstract: 
Public service reforms often provoke political backlash. Can they also yield political benefits for the politicians who champion them? We study a Wisconsin law that weakened teachers' unions and liberalized pay, prompting mass protests. Exploiting its staggered implementation across school districts, we find that the reform cut union revenues, raised student test scores, and increased pay for some teachers. Exposure to the law increased the incumbent governor's vote share by about 20% of his margin of victory and reduced campaign contributions to his opponent. Gains were larger in districts with stronger unions ex ante and in those where more voters benefited from the reform. Our findings highlight how even politically risky reforms can generate electoral benefits under the right circumstances.
Subjects: 
education reform
political feasibility
collective bargaining
teacher salaries.
JEL: 
I20
P46
P11
J31
J45
Document Type: 
Working Paper
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