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Wage Developments in the Central and Eastern European EU Member States

Author

Listed:
  • Vasily Astrov

    (The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw)

  • Mario Holzner

    (The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw)

  • Sebastian Leitner

    (The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw)

  • Isilda Mara

    (The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw)

  • Leon Podkaminer

    (The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw)

  • Armon Rezai

Abstract

Labour markets in the Central and Eastern European member states of the EU (EU-CEE8) have improved significantly since the global economic crisis of 2008-2009. Unemployment rates have declined steadily, primarily due to adverse demographic trends and massive outward migration to the West, which have resulted in a decline in the working-age population. Nevertheless, until recently wage growth in EU-CEE8 was rather restrained, resulting in generally stable wage shares. The so-called ‘Phillips curve’, which represents a negative correlation between unemployment and wage growth, has not held for most of EU CEE8 during this period – unlike, for example, for Austria or Germany. The main reasons for this have been the progressive flexibilisation and liberalisation of the labour markets of EU CEE countries in the years since the economic crisis. In particular, wage negotiation mechanisms have been decentralised and the degree of coverage by collective-bargaining agreements has declined, in some cases dramatically. This has tended to weaken the negotiating position of employees, thereby counteracting the positive effects of the general improvement in the labour market situation. Disclaimer The study was commissioned by the Arbeiterkammer Wien.

Suggested Citation

  • Vasily Astrov & Mario Holzner & Sebastian Leitner & Isilda Mara & Leon Podkaminer & Armon Rezai, 2019. "Wage Developments in the Central and Eastern European EU Member States," wiiw Research Reports 443, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    • Handle: RePEc:wii:rpaper:rr:443
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

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    2. Grodzicki, Maciej J. & Możdżeń, Michał, 2021. "Central and Eastern European economies in a Goldilocks age: A model of labor market institutional choice," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    3. Tomasz Geodecki & Richard Grieveson & Doris Hanzl-Weiss & Olga Pindyuk & Oliver Reiter, 2022. "Monthly Report No. 02/2022," wiiw Monthly Reports 2022-02, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    4. Vasily Astrov & Stefan Jestl & Michael Landesmann & Sebastian Leitner & Roman Römisch & Robert Stehrer & Hermine Vidovic, 2022. "Bevölkerungs- und Wirtschaftsentwicklung in den mittel- und osteuropäischen Ländern (MOEL)," wiiw Research Reports in German language 21, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    5. Alfred Stiglbauer, 2020. "EU-Mitgliedschaft, EU-Erweiterung und die Auswirkungen auf den österreichischen Arbeitsmarkt," Monetary Policy & the Economy, Oesterreichische Nationalbank (Austrian Central Bank), issue Q1-Q2/20, pages 75-88.
    6. Gereben, Áron & Wruuck, Patricia, 2021. "Towards a new growth model in CESEE: Convergence and competitiveness through smart, green and inclusive investment," EIB Working Papers 2021/01, European Investment Bank (EIB).
    7. Samartzidis, Lasare & Mundt, Philipp & Schulz-Gebhard, Jan, 2024. "Input specificity and labor's bargaining power: A production tree approach to functional income distribution," BERG Working Paper Series 198, Bamberg University, Bamberg Economic Research Group.
    8. Wirkierman, Ariel L. & Ciarli, Tommaso & Savonna, Maria, 2021. "A map of the fractal structure of high-tech dynamics across EU regions," MERIT Working Papers 2021-023, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J11 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J4 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets
    • J50 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - General

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