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Spillover and conflict in collective bargaining: evidence from a survey of Dutch union and firm negotiators

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  • Alex Lehr

    (Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands)

  • Agnes Akkerman

    (VU University Amsterdam, the Netherlands; and Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands)

  • René Torenvlied

    (University of Twente, the Netherlands)

Abstract

Using unique survey data on Dutch collective agreement negotiators, the authors model how information about other collective bargaining events influences the probability of negotiators encountering bargaining impasses or industrial action during collective bargaining. Competing hypotheses about this influence, derived from economic, social psychological and sociological approaches, are tested. The findings indicate that information about bargaining outcomes elsewhere has no significant effect on the occurrence of conflict. However, if the information content of spillover refers to the conflict potential in other bargaining events and the sources of information are proximate, the probability of conflict is increased. This suggests that sociological mechanisms offer a compelling alternative to those invoked in economics for explaining the relationship between spillover and conflict.

Suggested Citation

  • Alex Lehr & Agnes Akkerman & René Torenvlied, 2015. "Spillover and conflict in collective bargaining: evidence from a survey of Dutch union and firm negotiators," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 29(4), pages 641-660, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:29:y:2015:i:4:p:641-660
    DOI: 10.1177/0950017014542123
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Lehr, Alex & Vyrastekova, Jana & Akkerman, Agnes & Torenvlied, René, 2016. "Spillovers and conflict in wage bargaining: Experimental evidence," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 59-68.

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