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Unions and Workplace Closure in Britain, 1990–1998

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  • Alex Bryson

Abstract

This paper assesses union effects on workplace closure in the private sector in Britain between 1990 and 1998 using panel data from the 1990–98 Workplace Employee Relations Survey. On average, unions raised the chances of workplace closure in Britain in the 1990s, in contrast to the 1980s. However, the size and statistical significance of union effects differ across dimensions of unionization and type of workplace. Furthermore, the results are sensitive to the definition of workplace closure.

Suggested Citation

  • Alex Bryson, 2004. "Unions and Workplace Closure in Britain, 1990–1998," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 42(2), pages 282-302, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:brjirl:v:42:y:2004:i:2:p:282-302
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8543.2004.00315.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John Forth, 2000. "The determinants of pay levels and fringe benefit provision in Britain," National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) Discussion Papers 171, National Institute of Economic and Social Research.
    2. Addison, John T. & Heywood, John S. & Wei, Xiangdong, 2001. "Unions and Plant Closings in Britain: New Evidence from the 1990/98 WERS," IZA Discussion Papers 352, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Willman, Paul & Bryson, Alex & Gomez, Rafael, 2003. "Why do voice regimes differ?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 20017, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    4. David Blanchflower & Alex Bryson, 2002. "Changes over time in union relative wage effects in the UK and the US revisited," NBER Working Papers 9395, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Alex Bryson, 2003. "Working with Dinosaurs? Union Effectiveness in Delivering for Employees," PSI Research Discussion Series 11, Policy Studies Institute, UK.
    6. Bryson, Alex & Wilkinson, David, 2002. "Collective bargaining and workplace performance: an investigation using the workplace employee relations survey 1998," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 4995, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
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    Cited by:

    1. Uwe Jirjahn & Jens Mohrenweiser & Uschi Backes‐Gellner, 2011. "Works Councils and Learning: On the Dynamic Dimension of Codetermination," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 64(3), pages 427-447, August.
    2. David M. Frankel, 2010. "Rent Seeking and Economic Fragility," Levine's Bibliography 661465000000000159, UCLA Department of Economics.
    3. Uwe Jirjahn & Steffen Mueller, 2014. "Non-union worker representation, foreign owners, and the performance of establishments," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 66(1), pages 140-163, January.
    4. Gabriel Burdin, 2012. "Does workers’ control affect firm survival? Evidence from Uruguay," Department of Economics University of Siena 641, Department of Economics, University of Siena.
    5. Tony Fang & John S. Heywood, 2006. "Unionization and plant closure in Canada," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 39(4), pages 1173-1194, November.
    6. Burdin, Gabriel, 2013. "Are Worker-Managed Firms Really More Likely to Fail?," IZA Discussion Papers 7412, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. Gabriel Burdín, 2014. "Are Worker-Managed Firms More Likely to Fail Than Conventional Enterprises? Evidence from Uruguay," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 67(1), pages 202-238, January.
    8. Uwe Jirjahn, 2012. "Non-union worker representation and the closure of establishments: German evidence on the role of moderating factors," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 33(1), pages 5-27, February.
    9. Verena Dill & Uwe Jirjahn, 2017. "Foreign owners and the quality of industrial relations in Germany," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 38(1), pages 5-25, February.
    10. John T. Addison, 2005. "The Determinants Of Firm Performance: Unions, Works Councils, And Employee Involvement/High‐Performance Work Practices," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 52(3), pages 406-450, July.
    11. John T. Addison & Claus Schnabel & Joachim Wagner, 2004. "The Course of Research into the Economic Consequences of German Works Councils," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 42(2), pages 255-281, June.
    12. Brändle, Tobias, 2024. "Unions and Collective Bargaining: The Influence on Wages, Employment and Firm Survival," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1457, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    13. Addison, John T. & Teixeira, Paulino & Grunau, Philipp & Bellmann, Lutz, 2019. "Dissonant Works Councils and Establishment Survivability," IZA Discussion Papers 12438, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    14. Dionne Pohler & Andrew Luchak, 2015. "Are Unions Good or Bad for Organizations? The Moderating Role of Management's Response," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 53(3), pages 423-459, September.
    15. Alex Bryson, 2004. "Unions And Employment Growth In British Workplaces During The 1990s: A Panel Analysis," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 51(4), pages 477-506, September.
    16. Blanchflower, David G., 2006. "A Cross-Country Study of Union Membership," IZA Discussion Papers 2016, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    17. Michele Santoni, 2017. "Protective Excise Taxation," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 421-445, December.
    18. John T. Addison & Paulino Teixeira & Philipp Grunau & Lutz Bellmann, 2023. "Works council ‘disaffection’ and establishment survivability," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 70(1), pages 38-67, February.

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