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Unionization, Stochastic Dominance, and Compression of the Wage Distribution: Evidence from Germany

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Author Info
Michael C. Burda
Bernd Fitzenberger
Alexander Lembcke
Thorsten Vogel

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Abstract

This paper establishes theoretical and empirical linkages between union wage setting and the structure of the wage distribution. Theoretically, we identify conditions under which a right-to-manage model implies compression of the wage distribution in the union sector relative to the nonunion sector as well as first-order stochastic dominance. These implications are investigated using quantile regressions on the 2001 GSES, a large German linked employer–employee data set which contains explicit information on coverage by collective agreements. The empirical results confirm that, in case of industry-wide collective agreements, log union wage effects decline in quantiles, implying union wage compression. This finding, however, cannot be corroborated for wages determined at the firm level. Stochastic dominance is confirmed, as predicted by the theoretical model, for both types of collective agreements.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Sonderforschungsbereich 649, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany in its series SFB 649 Discussion Papers with number SFB649DP2008-041.

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Length: 35 pages
Date of creation: Aug 2008
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Handle: RePEc:hum:wpaper:sfb649dp2008-04

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Related research
Keywords: Union wage effect; stochastic dominance; wage compression; quantile regressions; Machado-Mata decomposition;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
J51 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Trade Unions: Objectives, Structure, and Effects
J52 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Dispute Resolution: Strikes, Arbitration, and Mediation

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References listed on IDEAS
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  1. MaCurdy, Thomas E & Pencavel, John H, 1986. "Testing between Competing Models of Wage and Employment Determination in Unionized Markets," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 94(3), pages S3-S39, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Christofides, Louis N., 1990. "Non-nested tests of efficient bargain and labour demand models," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 91-96, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  3. Blau, Francine D & Kahn, Lawrence M, 1996. "International Differences in Male Wage Inequality: Institutions versus Market Forces," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 104(4), pages 791-836, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  4. Louis N. Christofides & Andrew J. Oswald, 1991. "Efficient and Inefficient Employment Outcomes: A Study Based on Canadian Data," NBER Working Papers 3648, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Brown, James N & Ashenfelter, Orley, 1986. "Testing the Efficiency of Employment Contracts," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 94(3), pages S40-S87, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  6. Lembcke, Alexander C. & Kohn, Karsten & Fitzenberger, Bernd, 2008. "Union Density and Varieties of Coverage: The Anatomy of Union Wage Effects in Germany," ZEW Discussion Papers 08-012, ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  7. Koenker, Roger W & Bassett, Gilbert, Jr, 1978. "Regression Quantiles," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 46(1), pages 33-50, January. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Karsten Kohn & Alexander C. Lembcke, 2007. "Wage Distributions by Bargaining Regime: Linked Employer-Employee Data Evidence from Germany," IZA Discussion Papers 2849, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  9. Joshua Angrist & Victor Chernozhukov & Ivan Fernandez-Val, 2004. "Quantile Regression under Misspecification, with an Application to the U.S. Wage Structure," NBER Working Papers 10428, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  10. Moulton, Brent R, 1990. "An Illustration of a Pitfall in Estimating the Effects of Aggregate Variables on Micro Unit," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 72(2), pages 334-38, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  11. Gürtzgen, Nicole, 2005. "Rent-sharing : Does the Bargaining Regime Make a Difference? : Theory and Empirical Evidence," ZEW Discussion Papers 05-15, ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
  12. L Christofides & A Oswald, 1991. "Efficient and Inefficient Employment Outcomes: A Study Based on Canadian Contract Data," CEP Discussion Papers dp0041, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
  13. Thorsten Vogel, 2007. "Union Wage Compression in a Right-to-Manage Model," SFB 649 Discussion Papers SFB649DP2007-009, Sonderforschungsbereich 649, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany. [Downloadable!]
  14. José Mata & José A. F. Machado, 2005. "Counterfactual decomposition of changes in wage distributions using quantile regression," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 20(4), pages 445-465. [Downloadable!]
  15. Gürtzgen, Nicole, 2006. "Rent-Sharing and Collective Bargaining Coverage: Evidence from Linked Employer-Employee Data," ZEW Discussion Papers 05-90 [rev.], ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research. [Downloadable!]
  16. McDonald, Ian M & Solow, Robert M, 1981. "Wage Bargaining and Employment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 71(5), pages 896-908, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  17. David Card & Sara de la Rica, 2006. "Firm-level contracting and the structure of wages in Spain," Industrial and Labor Relations Review, ILR Review, ILR School, Cornell University, vol. 59(4), pages 573-592, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  18. Russell Davidson, 2006. "Stochastic Dominance," Departmental Working Papers 2006-19, McGill University, Department of Economics. [Downloadable!]
  19. Oswald, Andrew J, 1982. "The Microeconomic Theory of the Trade Union," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 92(367), pages 576-95, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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