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Can German Unions Still Cut It?

Author

Listed:
  • John T. Addison

    (University of South Carolina, Durham University, U.S.A.; IZA Bonn, Germany; The Rimini Centre for Economic Analysis, Italy)

  • Paulino Teixeira

    (University of Coimbra and GEMF, Portugal; IZA Bonn, Germany)

  • Jens Stephani

    (Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung der Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Germany)

  • Lutz Bellmann

    (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung der Bundesagentur für Arbeit, IZA Bonn, Germany)

Abstract

That trade unionism is in decline is seems to be beyond dispute. More controversial is the implied change in union impact on worker wages. In using a linked employer-employee dataset over an interval of continuing decline in unionism, namely 2000-2010, this paper addresses this very issue. It is found that joining a sectoral agreement always produces higher wages, while exiting a sectoral agreement no longer produces wage losses if the transition is to a firm agreement. Leaving a firm agreement to non-coverage also leads to wage reductions, while joining one from non-coverage seems decreasingly favourable. At the end of the day, there is one constant: although small, the positive union wage gap persists.

Suggested Citation

  • John T. Addison & Paulino Teixeira & Jens Stephani & Lutz Bellmann, 2015. "Can German Unions Still Cut It?," Working Paper series 15-08, Rimini Centre for Economic Analysis.
    • Handle: RePEc:rim:rimwps:15-08
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    Cited by:

    1. Töpfer, Marina, 2018. "The age pay gap and labor market heterogeneity: A new empirical approach using data for Italy," Discussion Papers 105, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Chair of Labour and Regional Economics.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J51 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Trade Unions: Objectives, Structure, and Effects
    • J53 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Labor-Management Relations; Industrial Jurisprudence

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