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Two-Tier Bargaining

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  • Boeri, Tito

    (Bocconi University)

Abstract

Two-tier bargaining structures, in which plant-level wage negotiations supplement industry-level wage setting, are present in a number of EU countries, as unions resist pressures for greater decentralization in wage determination. In principle, these two-tier structures could reconcile macroeconomic stability with a closer link between productivity and pay. Evidence from an ECB firm-level survey suggests, however, that two-tier regimes may end up getting the worst of either fully centralized and fully decentralized systems, as they do not allow incentive schemes to operate downwards, reduce the participation of firms to collective bargaining, and do not seem to improve either microeconomic and macroeconomic adjustment to shocks.

Suggested Citation

  • Boeri, Tito, 2014. "Two-Tier Bargaining," IZA Discussion Papers 8358, IZA Network @ LISER.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp8358
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Claudio Lucifora & Daria Vigani, 2021. "Losing Control? Unions’ Representativeness, Pirate Collective Agreements, and Wages," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(2), pages 188-218, April.
    2. Andrea Garnero, 2021. "The impact of collective bargaining on employment and wage inequality: Evidence from a new taxonomy of bargaining systems," European Journal of Industrial Relations, , vol. 27(2), pages 185-202, June.
    3. Tito Boeri, 2015. "Perverse effects of two-tier wage bargaining structures," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 101-101, January.
    4. John T. Addison, 2016. "Collective bargaining systems and macroeconomic and microeconomic flexibility: the quest for appropriate institutional forms in advanced economies," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 5(1), pages 1-53, December.
    5. Andrea Garnero & François Rycx & Isabelle Terraz, 2020. "Productivity and Wage Effects of Firm‐Level Collective Agreements: Evidence from Belgian Linked Panel Data," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 58(4), pages 936-972, December.
    6. John T. Addison, 2016. "Collective bargaining systems and macroeconomic and microeconomic flexibility: the quest for appropriate institutional forms in advanced economies," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 5(1), pages 1-53, December.
    7. Mr. Alvar Kangur, 2018. "Competitiveness and Wage Bargaining Reform in Italy," IMF Working Papers 2018/061, International Monetary Fund.
    8. Ramos, Raul & Sanromá, Esteban & Simón, Hipólito, 2022. "Collective bargaining levels, employment and wage inequality in Spain," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 44(2), pages 375-395.
    9. Burdin, Gabriel & Pérotin, Virginie, 2019. "Employee representation and flexible working time," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    10. Aglio, Daniele & Di Mauro, Filippo, 2020. "Decentralisation of collective bargaining: A path to productivity?," IWH-CompNet Discussion Papers 3/2020, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
    11. Clemens Fuest & Andreas Peichl & Sebastian Siegloch, 2018. "Do Higher Corporate Taxes Reduce Wages? Micro Evidence from Germany," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 108(2), pages 393-418, February.
    12. Gabriele Cardullo & Maurizio Conti & Andrea Ricci & Sergio Scicchitano & Giovanni Sulis, 2024. "On the emergence of cooperative industrial and labour relations," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 62(3), pages 568-590, September.
    13. Fuest, Clemens & Peichl, Andreas & Siegloch, Sebastian, 2015. "Do Higher Corporate Taxes Reduce Wages?," IZA Discussion Papers 9606, IZA Network @ LISER.
    14. Bernd Brandl & Nils Braakmann, 2021. "The effects of collective bargaining systems on the productivity function of firms: An analysis of bargaining structures and processes and the implications for policy making," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(3), pages 218-236, May.
    15. Sergei Guriev & Biagio Speciale & Michele Tuccio, 2019. "How do Regulated and Unregulated Labor Markets Respond to Shocks? Evidence from Immigrants During the Great Recession," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 35(1), pages 37-76.
    16. Addison, John T. & Teixeira, Paulino, 2017. "Strikes, Employee Workplace Representation, Unionism, and Trust: Evidence from Cross-Country Data," IZA Discussion Papers 10575, IZA Network @ LISER.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J33 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Compensation Packages; Payment Methods
    • J51 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Trade Unions: Objectives, Structure, and Effects

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