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Sharp Teeth or Empty Mouths? European Institutional Diversity and the Sector-Level Minimum Wage Bite

Author

Listed:
  • Andrea Garnero

    (PSE - Paris-Jourdan Sciences Economiques - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

  • Stephan Kampelmann

    (ULB - Université libre de Bruxelles)

  • François Rycx

    (ULB - Département d'Informatique [Bruxelles] - ULB - Faculté des Sciences [Bruxelles] - ULB - Université libre de Bruxelles)

Abstract

The article explores the link between different institutional features of minimum wage systems and the minimum wage bite. We notably address the striking absence of studies on sectoral-level minima and exploit unique data covering 17 European countries and information from more than 1,100 collective bargaining agreements. Results provide evidence for a neglected trade-off: systems with bargained sectoral-level minima are associated with higher Kaitz indices than systems with statutory floors, but also with more individuals actually paid below prevailing minima. Higher collective bargaining coverage can, to some extent, reduce this trade-off between sharp teeth (high wage floors) and empty mouths (non-compliance/non-coverage).

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea Garnero & Stephan Kampelmann & François Rycx, 2015. "Sharp Teeth or Empty Mouths? European Institutional Diversity and the Sector-Level Minimum Wage Bite," Post-Print halshs-01510416, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:halshs-01510416
    DOI: 10.1111/bjir.12104
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    Cited by:

    1. Marx, Ive & Haapanala, Henri & Marchal, Sarah, 2024. "Is Poverty Reduction in Europe Doomed? Conjectures, Facts and a Cautiously Optimistic Conclusion," IZA Discussion Papers 16967, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Céline Antonin & Mattia Guerini & Mauro Napoletano & Francesco Vona, 2019. "Italy : escaping the high-debt and low-growth trap," Documents de Travail de l'OFCE 2019-07, Observatoire Francais des Conjonctures Economiques (OFCE).
    3. Laporšek, Suzana & Orazem, Peter F. & Vodopivec, Milan & Vodopivec, Matija, 2024. "Long-term responses to large minimum wage shocks: Subminimum and super-minimum workers in Slovenia," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 48(4).
    4. Dütsch Matthias & Ohlert Clemens & Baumann Arne, 2025. "The Minimum Wage in Germany: Institutional Setting and a Systematic Review of Key Findings," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 245(1-2), pages 113-151.
    5. Alessia Matano & Paolo Naticchioni & Francesco Vona, 2019. "“The Institutional Adjustment Margin to Import Competition: Evidence from Italian Minimum Wages”," IREA Working Papers 201905, University of Barcelona, Research Institute of Applied Economics, revised Apr 2019.
    6. Andrea Garnero & Claudio Lucifora, 2022. "Turning a ‘Blind Eye’? Compliance with Minimum Wage Standards and Employment," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 89(356), pages 884-907, October.
    7. Haapanala, Henri & Marx, Ive & Parolin, Zachary, 2022. "Decent Wage Floors in Europe: Does the Minimum Wage Directive Get It Right?," IZA Discussion Papers 15660, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Andrea Garnero & Claudio Lucifora, 2020. "Turning A Blind Eye? Compliance To Minimum Wages And Employment," DISCE - Working Papers del Dipartimento di Economia e Finanza def085, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
    9. Ive Marx; & Henri Haapanala; & Sarah Marchal;, 2024. "Is poverty reduction in Europe doomed? Conjectures, facts and a cautiously optimistic conclusion," Working Papers 2403, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.
    10. Karolina GORAUS‐TAŃSKA & Piotr LEWANDOWSKI, 2019. "Minimum wage violation in central and eastern Europe," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 158(2), pages 297-336, June.
    11. Andrea Garnero, 2018. "The dog that barks doesn’t bite: coverage and compliance of sectoral minimum wages in Italy," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 7(1), pages 1-24, December.
    12. Shuyun Chen & Fang Luo & Ting Xiao & Liang Ding, 2025. "Effects of global trade integration on skill polarization and wage disparity," Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.
    13. Mansoor, Kashif & O'Neill, Donal, 2021. "Minimum wage compliance and household welfare: An analysis of over 1500 minimum wages in India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    14. Dütsch Matthias & Himmelreicher Ralf & Ohlert Clemens, 2019. "Calculating Gross Hourly Wages – the (Structure of) Earnings Survey and the German Socio-Economic Panel in Comparison," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 239(2), pages 243-276, April.

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