Unions and the Employment Growth: Panel Data Evidence

This study adds to the small empirical literature on the impact unions have on employment growth using data from Australia. Unlike previous studies, the data used are from a panel of firms surveyed at two points in time rather than a single cross section. The results indicate a negative union effect on employment in private-sector firms of about 2.5 percent per annum that, despite the very different institutional framework that prevails in Australia, is consistent with results obtained with North American data.     

Employment and Local Public Sector Unions

This study examines the longitudinal effects of unionization on employment levels in 13, 749 departments of city and county government with unchanged union status between 1977 and 1982. The resluts demonstrate that, holding constant 1977 employment per capita, 1982 employment pr capita is 3.1 per cent higher in departments with bargaining units, compared to nonunion department. Employment levels in departments with nonbargaining associations are equal to nonunion levels, but associations may increase employment relative to levels employers would choose because they also set compensation above nonunion levels. The political context of local public sector employment is probably responsible for these effects.     

The Effect of Unions on Productivity Growth, Investment and Employment: A Report on some Recent Work

Using two British microeconomic data sets, this paper reports the following. (1) Union firms experienced faster productivity growth during 1980–4, but there was no difference in performance in 1975–9, or 1985–6. So unions do not necessarily reduce productivity growth. It is also unlikely that the above pattern can be explained by changes in union legislation. (2) Unionism appears to have no significant effect on in vestment, once one allows for the effects of differential productivity growth. (3) Wages in union and non-union firms are equally responsive to changes in the capital–labour ratio. (4) Contrary to what is often alleged, unionism per se does not reduce employment growth. Instead, the negative correlation observed in 1980–4 probably arises from a significant reform of working practices in unionized firms during 1980–4.     

贸易开放、就业结构变迁与生产率增长

本文考察了中国贸易开放对劳动力市场就业结构变迁的影响,并量化了就业结构变迁对制造业企业生产率增长的贡献。研究发现,中间产品进口关税的下降导致1998—2007年行业内国有企业5.32个百分点的劳动力移到非国有企业,这解释了该时期劳动力在行业内部不同所有制部门间总流动规模的8.56%。中间产品进口关税下降使非国有企业的中间产品成本以更大幅度下降,同时缓解了非国有企业的融资约束。非国有企业获益更多,从而得以扩大生产经营规模,引发了劳动力向非国有企业转移。进一步研究发现,贸易开放引致的就业所有制结构调整改进了资源配置效率,能解释同时期源于企业间要素配置带来的生产率增长的7.51%,同时,能解释制造业总体生产率增长的1.46%—1.85%,是贸易开放促进生产率增长的重要渠道之一。本文的研究表明,充分释放贸易红利需要打破要素流动壁垒,降低劳动力要素迁移成本,以市场化方式优化资源在不同部门间的配置。同时,建立健全金融配套措施、改善信贷不平等也是最大化贸易红利的重要举措。本文不仅为中国实现要素资源的优化配置、产业结构的转型升级和增长动力的转换提供了新证据,也为理解中国的就业结构变迁提供了新视角。     

Future Unions

Private-sector unions are losing their monopoly appeal because of international competition. While their voice appeal is rising among less skilled and assimilated workers, who are increasingly predominant in mass production, unions are declining among more skilled workers, who are increasingly participating in business decisions on the job. In addition, public-sector unions are evolving from being the tools of their politician-employers into traditional monopoly unions     

Employment Growth and Stability under Profit-Sharing: A Longitudinal Study

This study tests the hypotheses that employment will increase and become more stable when firms replace traditional reward systems with a bifurcated approach incorporating profit-sharing. Time-series data for 443 publicly traded profit-sharing firms and a closely matched group of industry non-sharers were analysed before and after plan implementation. While there was evidence that profit-sharing generated short-term growth, little support emerged for its theorized effect on employment variability. Unlike previous reports, organizational size was more likely to influence the impact of share arrangements than was industry type.     

In Unions We Trust! Analysing Confidence in Unions across Europe

Public institutions and trade unions in particular are often portrayed as facing a deep crisis. In order to better understand to what extent unions are still perceived as legitimate institutions from the society as a whole (working and non‐working individuals), we analyse the determinants of confidence in unions across 14 European countries between 1981 and 2009. Confidence in unions is explained through individual‐level variables (by a rational and an ideational mechanism) and contextual‐level factors (relevant economic and employment relations characteristics). Using data from the European Values Study (EVS) merged with contextual datasets, we develop a series of regression models to examine the main determinants of confidence in unions. We demonstrate that confidence in unions cannot only be traced back to the support from members and left‐wing oriented individuals but it is also related to non‐working individuals and vulnerable social groups, in particular when confronted with economic shocks. Our findings challenge both the ‘crisis of confidence’ in institutions and the ‘crisis of unionism’ narratives. Implications for union representation and organizing strategies are discussed.     

Earnings Inequality and Unions in Canada

This paper reports research examining differences in the earnings distributions of unionized and non–unionized workers and the impact of union status on the likelihood of a worker being in each region of the earnings distribution. Average earnings of unionized workers are shown to be higher than those of non–union workers in the first four quintiles, but lower than average earnings of non–unionized workers in the top quintile. Union effects are greatest among workers situated in the lower and middle regions of the distribution, and benefit workers who are typically disadvantaged in the labour market.     

Unions and new technology in Australia

The Australian trade union movement has identified new technology as a major issue for the 1980s and beyond. This article examines ACTU policy on technological change in the light of the experience of two large Australian unions.     

我国第三产业发展与就业增长互动关系研究

通过构建VAR模型对我国第三产业发展与就业增长的关系进行了实证研究。协整分析表明第三产业与就业增长之间存在着长期协同互动关系。VAR模型及脉冲响应函数的动态分析表明我国第三产业发展表现为相互促进的累积过程;劳动力投入是影响第三产业发展的重要因素,就业人数的增长对第三产业发展有巨大的推动作用;第三产业具有很大的就业吸纳空间。最后根据就业吸纳弹性来阐明第三产业发展对劳动力的吸纳能力并提出相应的政策建议。     

有偏技术进步、技术路径与就业增长

基于1990～2012年我国技术进步的就业效应以及技术进步的要素偏向性估算,本文从有偏技术进步的角度来解释这一时期技术进步对就业影响。对不同技术进步路径与就业关系的分析表明,即使技术进步偏向于资本使用（或者劳动节约）,导致对就业产生负效应,但如果选择有助于就业增长的技术进步路径,还是可以实现技术进步与就业增长之间的和谐发展。最后本文提出若干政策建议。     

Unions and Investment in British Manufacturing Industry

This paper is concerned with the impact of unions on the investment rate in British industry. On the basis of an analysis of some 72 industries in the manufacturing sector, we find that, ceteris paribus, firms that recognize manual unions and have an average level of union density invest some 23 per cent less than firms that do not recognize unions. However, once we allow for union effects on wages and productivity, this overall effect is reduced to between 4 and 13 per cent, depending on the degree of competition in the product market.     

Women's Groups in British Unions

Women's groups in unions are collective spaces within which women seek to advance their concerns and access empowering positions. This paper examines their pursuit of gender equality in unions. The need to explore unions and women's groups is heightened by women's significance as a source of union membership, and the connection between union revitalization and responsiveness to women. The paper uses case studies of two unions, MSF and USDAW, and seven women's groups. The analysis is structured by a typology of two frameworks: (i) a typology of gendered equality ideas derived from various literatures, and (ii) the dynamic and linked dimensions of Hyman's (1994) union organization model. Implications for research and theory, and for union policy and practice, are discussed.