Ebook: Economic Models of Trade Unions

Over the 1980s unions have lost about 5 million members in OECD countries. The proportion of unionized workers is increasing in the services, public sector and among women. Today, almost two out of five union members are employed in the public sector. Wide differences remain in the levels of unionization in diverse countries, while in the United States, France and Spain union members account now for little more than 10% of the labour force, in the Nordic countries (Sweden, Finland and Denmark) the corre'sponding figure is between 75 and 85%. In general, rates have been higher in Europe than in North America. Economic analysis is paying increasing attention to these developments and to their policy implications (Edwards, Caronna and Todling, OCDE 1991). Recent progress in economic theory has enabled some light to be cast on the determinants of unionism, on the other hand, efforts aimed at coming to grips with the economic reality of unions have significantly contributed to theoretical advancement by extending and modifying conventional microeconomic wisdom. The reader of this volume will judge whether the insight gained is sufficient, or - as a recent survey concluded ~ the problem has proved to be virtually intractable (Johnson, p. 24). These can be grouped under three headings, corresponding to the three parts of the volume, which will be illustrated in the Introduction.

---

---

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xxx
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
The microeconomic theory of the trade union....Pages 3-24
Labour union objectives and collective bargaining....Pages 25-40
Union wages, temporary lay-offs, and seniority....Pages 41-60
The determination of the union status of workers....Pages 61-82
Front Matter....Pages 83-83
Wage bargaining and employment....Pages 85-104
Longitudinal analyses of the effects of trade unions....Pages 105-128
Trade unions and optimal labour contracts....Pages 129-149
Testing the efficiency of employment contracts....Pages 151-195
Bargaining and strikes....Pages 197-212
An investigation into the determinants of US strike activity....Pages 213-231
Front Matter....Pages 233-233
Hysteresis in unemployment....Pages 235-242
Long-term unemployment and macroeconomic policy....Pages 243-251
Macroeconomic stabilization policy and trade union behaviour as a repeated game....Pages 253-277
The rise in unemployment: a multi-country study....Pages 279-303
The regulation of inflation and unemployment....Pages 305-318
Back Matter....Pages 319-326

---

Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xxx
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
The microeconomic theory of the trade union....Pages 3-24
Labour union objectives and collective bargaining....Pages 25-40
Union wages, temporary lay-offs, and seniority....Pages 41-60
The determination of the union status of workers....Pages 61-82
Front Matter....Pages 83-83
Wage bargaining and employment....Pages 85-104
Longitudinal analyses of the effects of trade unions....Pages 105-128
Trade unions and optimal labour contracts....Pages 129-149
Testing the efficiency of employment contracts....Pages 151-195
Bargaining and strikes....Pages 197-212
An investigation into the determinants of US strike activity....Pages 213-231
Front Matter....Pages 233-233
Hysteresis in unemployment....Pages 235-242
Long-term unemployment and macroeconomic policy....Pages 243-251
Macroeconomic stabilization policy and trade union behaviour as a repeated game....Pages 253-277
The rise in unemployment: a multi-country study....Pages 279-303
The regulation of inflation and unemployment....Pages 305-318
Back Matter....Pages 319-326
....