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Why Do Contract Workers Earn Less? Evidence from India’s Auto Industry

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  • Davide Luparello

Abstract

Contract workers constitute half of employment in India’s automotive industry but earn substantially less than permanent workers. Using data from the Annual Survey of Industries (2002-2019), I develop an estimator of labor supply and demand schedules to explain this wage premium. The model features nested CES production with distinct worker types, discrete choice supply functions with worker type-specific wage sensitivity and differentiated market conduct—Nash-Bertrand competition for contract workers versus plant-level union bargaining for permanent workers. I find that the wage premium stems entirely from permanent workers’ higher productivity rather than differential monopsony power or unionization advantages.

Suggested Citation

  • Davide Luparello, 2025. "Why Do Contract Workers Earn Less? Evidence from India’s Auto Industry," BAFFI CAREFIN Working Papers 25258, BAFFI CAREFIN, Centre for Applied Research on International Markets Banking Finance and Regulation, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy.
    • Handle: RePEc:baf:cbafwp:cbafwp25258
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. James Levinsohn & Amil Petrin, 2003. "Estimating Production Functions Using Inputs to Control for Unobservables," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 70(2), pages 317-341.
    2. Okada, Aya & Siddharthan, N.S., 2007. "Industrial Clusters in India: Evidence from Automobile Clusters in Chennai and the National Capital Region," IDE Discussion Papers 103, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO).
    3. Cardell, N. Scott, 1997. "Variance Components Structures for the Extreme-Value and Logistic Distributions with Application to Models of Heterogeneity," Econometric Theory, Cambridge University Press, vol. 13(2), pages 185-213, April.
    4. Mertens, Matthias, 2022. "Micro-mechanisms behind declining labor shares: Rising market power and changing modes of production," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    5. Mayara Felix & Michael B. Wong, 2024. "The Reallocation Effects of Domestic Outsourcing," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 2416, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University.
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L62 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Automobiles; Other Transportation Equipment; Related Parts and Equipment

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