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Membership density and trade union power

Author

Listed:
  • Colin Crouch

    (External Scientific Member, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, Cologne, Germany
    Emeritus Professor, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK)

Abstract

Union membership has declined in almost all European and other advanced economies, though in many cases the membership that remains reflects overall changes in the gender and occupational structure of the economy. Meanwhile, in most countries unions’ incorporation in governing institutions of the labour market has remained stable or risen. Union strength (membership density and incorporation) and to a lesser extent bargaining coordination correlate positively with core employee interests in the post-Keynesian economy: a combination of high employment and low inequality, and a balance between flexibility and security. The evidence suggests that unions’ most important role today is as part of wider political forces, where the role of membership strength remains ambiguous.

Suggested Citation

  • Colin Crouch, 2017. "Membership density and trade union power," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 23(1), pages 47-61, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:treure:v:23:y:2017:i:1:p:47-61
    DOI: 10.1177/1024258916673533
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hyman, Richard, 2015. "Three scenarios for industrial relations in Europe," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 61888, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Franz Traxler, 2003. "Bargaining (De)centralization, Macroeconomic Performance and Control over the Employment Relationship," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 41(1), pages 1-27, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kevin Pineda‐Hernández & François Rycx & Mélanie Volral, 2022. "How collective bargaining shapes poverty: New evidence for developed countries," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 60(4), pages 895-928, December.
    2. Maarten Keune, 2021. "Inequality between capital and labour and among wage-earners: the role of collective bargaining and trade unions," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 27(1), pages 29-46, February.
    3. Bengt Furåker, 2020. "European trade union cooperation, union density and employee attitudes to unions," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 26(3), pages 345-358, August.
    4. Nick Brander-Peetz & David Peetz & Paula Brough, 2022. "Turnover intentions, training and motivations among Australian union staff," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 43(4), pages 1495-1518, November.
    5. Marcial Sánchez-Mosquera, 2024. "The influence of the political attitudes of workers and the effect of the Great Recession on the decision to join a trade union in Southern Europe," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 45(2), pages 579-599, May.

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