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The Dynamics of Power in Labor Markets: Monopolistic Unions versus Monopsonistic Employers

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  • Dodini, Samuel

    (Norwegian School of Economics)

  • Salvanes, Kjell G.

    (Norwegian School of Economics)

  • Willén, Alexander

    (Norwegian School of Economics)

Abstract

This paper brings together the modern research on employer power and employee power by empirically examining the effects of unionization on worker earnings, employment, and inequality across differently concentrated markets. Exploiting national tax reforms to union membership dues as exogenous shocks to unionization, we show that high levels of unionization mitigate the negative wage and employment effects generated by imperfect competition. We also identify considerable effect heterogeneity with respect to worker types across differentially concentrated markets, and show that this has major implications for the role of unions in shaping labor market wage inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • Dodini, Samuel & Salvanes, Kjell G. & Willén, Alexander, 2022. "The Dynamics of Power in Labor Markets: Monopolistic Unions versus Monopsonistic Employers," IZA Discussion Papers 15635, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp15635
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    Cited by:

    1. Bassier, Ihsaan, 2023. "Firms and inequality when unemployment is high," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    2. Dodini, Samuel, 2023. "The spillover effects of labor regulations on the structure of earnings and employment: Evidence from occupational licensing," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    3. Bassier, Ihsaan, 2022. "Firms and inequality when unemployment is high," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 117999, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    4. Dodini, Samuel & Stansbury, Anna & Willén, Alexander, 2023. "How Do Firms Respond to Unions?," IZA Discussion Papers 16697, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Samuel Dodini & Kjell G. Salvanes & Alexander Willén & Li Zhu & Alexander L.P. Willén, 2023. "The Career Effects of Union Membership," CESifo Working Paper Series 10469, CESifo.
    6. Dodini, Samuel & Løken, Katrine & Willén, Alexander, 2022. "The Effect of Labor Market Competition on Firms, Workers, and Communities," Discussion Paper Series in Economics 17/2022, Norwegian School of Economics, Department of Economics.
    7. Martins, Pedro S. & Melo, António, 2024. "Making their own weather? Estimating employer labour-market power and its wage effects," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    8. Bustos, Emil, 2023. "The Effect of Centrally Bargained Wages on Firm Growth," Working Paper Series 1456, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    9. Suresh Naidu, 2022. "Is There Any Future for a US Labor Movement?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 36(4), pages 3-28, Fall.
    10. Ihsaan Bassier, 2022. "Firms and inequality when unemployment is high," CEP Discussion Papers dp1872, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    monopsony; skills; unions; market concentration;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J42 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Monopsony; Segmented Labor Markets
    • 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
    • J63 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs

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