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The effect of firm-level contracts on the structure of wages: evidence from matched employer-employee data

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  • Card, David E.
  • De la Rica Goiricelaya, Sara

Abstract

In Spain, as in several other European countries, sectoral bargaining agreements are automatically extended to cover all firms in an industry. Employers and employees can also negotiate firm-specific contracts. We use a large matched employer-employee data set to study the effects of firm-level contracting on the structure of wages. We estimate conventional wage determination models and a richer set of models that control for the characteristics of coworkers and the probability the workplace is covered by a firm-level contract. Our estimates suggest that firm-level contracting is associated with a 5-10 percent wage premium, with larger premiums for more highly paid workers. Although we cannot decisively test between alternative explanations for the firm-level contracting premium, workers with firm-specific contracts have significantly longer job tenure, suggesting that the premium is at least partially a noncompetitive phenomenon.

Suggested Citation

  • Card, David E. & De la Rica Goiricelaya, Sara, 2004. "The effect of firm-level contracts on the structure of wages: evidence from matched employer-employee data," DFAEII Working Papers 1988-088X, University of the Basque Country - Department of Foundations of Economic Analysis II.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehu:dfaeii:6724
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    Cited by:

    1. Amuedo Dorantes, Catalina & De la Rica Goiricelaya, Sara, 2005. "The Impact of Gender Segregation on Male-Female Wage Differentials," DFAEII Working Papers 1988-088X, University of the Basque Country - Department of Foundations of Economic Analysis II.
    2. Patrick Lünnemann & Ladislav Wintr, 2009. "Wages are flexible, aren?t they? evidence from monthly micro wage data," BCL working papers 39, Central Bank of Luxembourg.
    3. John T. Addison & Paulino Teixeira & Thomas Zwick, 2006. "The Impact of Works Councils on Wages," GEMF Working Papers 2006-08, GEMF, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra.
    4. Addison, John T. & Teixeira, Paulino & Zwick, Thomas, 2006. "Works Councils and the Anatomy of Wages," IZA Discussion Papers 2474, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Dibeh, Ghassan & Fakih, Ali & Marrouch, Walid, 2018. "Labor Market and Institutional Drivers of Youth Irregular Migration: Evidence from the MENA Region," IZA Discussion Papers 11903, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Beatriz Muriel Hernández, 2016. "An Analysis of Firm Characteristics as Earnings Determinants: The Urban Bolivia Case," Development Research Working Paper Series 04/2016, Institute for Advanced Development Studies.
    7. Mario Izquierdo & Aitor Lacuesta, 2006. "Wage inequality in Spain: recent developments," Working Papers 0615, Banco de España.
    8. Alcala, Francisco & Hernandez, Pedro J., 2005. "Firm characteristics, labor sorting, and wages," MPRA Paper 1226, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 17 Nov 2006.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J50 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - General

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