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Labour share developments over the past two decades: The role of public policies

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  • Mathilde Pak
  • Cyrille Schwellnus

Abstract

Labour share developments over the past two decades have differed widely across OECD countries, with about half of them experiencing significant declines. This paper analyses the role of public policies in shaping labour share developments across countries. The results suggest that pro-competition product market reforms raise the labour share by reducing producer rents. Labour market reforms that strengthen the bargaining position of workers, such as tightening employment protection or raising minimum wages, may raise wages in the short term but risk triggering the substitution of capital for labour in the medium term. On average, across countries, such reforms are estimated to reduce the labour share. By contrast, promoting the re-employment of workers who lose their jobs through active labour market policies unambiguously raises the labour share.

Suggested Citation

  • Mathilde Pak & Cyrille Schwellnus, 2019. "Labour share developments over the past two decades: The role of public policies," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 1541, OECD Publishing.
    • Handle: RePEc:oec:ecoaaa:1541-en
    DOI: 10.1787/b21e518b-en
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Matteo G. Richiardi & Luis Valenzuela, 2024. "Firm heterogeneity and the aggregate labour share," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 38(1), pages 66-101, March.
    2. Mathilde Pak & Pierre-Alain Pionnier & Cyrille Schwellnus, 2019. "Labour Share Developments in OECD Countries Over the Past Two Decades," Economie et Statistique / Economics and Statistics, Institut National de la Statistique et des Etudes Economiques (INSEE), issue 510-511-5, pages 17-34.
    3. Dimitris Gavalas & Theodoros Syriopoulos & Efthimios Roumpis, 2022. "Digital adoption and efficiency in the maritime industry," Journal of Shipping and Trade, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 1-22, December.
    4. Ugur, Mehmet, 2023. "Innovation, market power and the labour share: evidence from OECD industries," Greenwich Papers in Political Economy 38374, University of Greenwich, Greenwich Political Economy Research Centre.
    5. Arif, Imran, 2021. "Productive knowledge, economic sophistication, and labor share," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    6. Alessandro Bellocchi & Giovanni Marin & Giuseppe Travaglini, 2021. "The Great Fall of Labor Share:Micro Determinants for EU Countries Over 2011-2019," Working Papers 2102, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Department of Economics, Society & Politics - Scientific Committee - L. Stefanini & G. Travaglini, revised 2021.
    7. Mary O’Mahony & Michela Vecchi & Francesco Venturini, 2021. "Capital Heterogeneity and the Decline of the Labour Share," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 88(350), pages 271-296, April.
    8. Mary O'Mahony & Michela Vecchi & Francesco Venturini, 2019. "Technology, Intangible Assets and the Decline of the Labor Share," Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE) Discussion Papers ESCoE DP-2019-17, Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence (ESCoE).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    difference-in-differences estimation; labour share; public policies;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D33 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Factor Income Distribution
    • J38 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Public Policy
    • J58 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Public Policy

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