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Labor union and the wealth-income ratio

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  • Chu, Angus C.
  • Kou, Zonglai
  • Liu, Xueyue

Abstract

We explore how labor union affects the wealth-income ratio in an innovation-driven growth model and find that it depends on the union’s objective. If the union is employment-oriented (wage-oriented), then a decrease in its bargaining power would have a positive (an ambiguous) effect on the wealth-income ratio. Calibrating the model to data, we find that a decrease in union bargaining power causes a sizable increase in the wealth-income ratio, which explains at least one-third of the increase in the US wealth-income ratio.

Suggested Citation

  • Chu, Angus C. & Kou, Zonglai & Liu, Xueyue, 2018. "Labor union and the wealth-income ratio," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 29-35.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:167:y:2018:i:c:p:29-35
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2018.02.023
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    Cited by:

    1. Chu, Angus C. & Kou, Zonglai & Wang, Xilin, 2020. "Dynamic effects of minimum wage on growth and innovation in a Schumpeterian economy," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    2. Chu, Angus C. & Cozzi, Guido & Furukawa, Yuichi & Liao, Chih-Hsing, 2019. "Effects of Minimum Wage on Automation and Innovation in a Schumpeterian Economy," MPRA Paper 95824, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Xiao Dai & Jian Wu & Liang Yan, 2018. "A Spatial Evolutionary Study of Technological Innovation Talents’ Sticky Wages and Technological Innovation Efficiency Based on the Perspective of Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-19, November.
    4. Angus C. Chu & Haichao Fan & Yuichi Furukawa & Zonglai Kou & Xueyue Liu, 2021. "Minimum Wages, Import Status, And Firms' Innovation: Theory And Evidence From China," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 59(1), pages 441-458, January.
    5. Chu, Angus C. & Furukawa, Yuichi & Kou, Zonglai & Liu, Xueyue, 2019. "Effects of Minimum Wage on Import and Innovation: Theory and Evidence from China," MPRA Paper 97008, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Wealth-income ratio; Labor union; Economic growth;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • J50 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - General
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • O43 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Institutions and Growth

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