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Union Membership and Collective Bargaining: Trends and Determinants

Author

Listed:
  • Schnabel, Claus

    (University of Erlangen-Nuremberg)

Abstract
This survey shows that union membership and density as well as bargaining coverage have fallen in most countries and that collective bargaining has become more decentralized over the last decades. However, there is a considerable amount of variation across countries and between different indicators of unionization and collective bargaining. Unionization is found to be related to a large number of structural, cyclical, institutional, and socio-demographic variables. Although changes in the sectoral structure of the economy and the composition of the workforce have played a role, their contribution to union decline seems to be smaller than widely believed. The effect of globalization on unionization and collective bargaining as well as the role of changing attitudes of employees towards unions are not fully clear, but the rise of the informal sector in various parts of the world poses a challenge to union recruitment. Union density and bargaining coverage are related, but the link is far from perfect. A more important predictor of bargaining coverage is the level at which bargaining takes place. Bargaining coverage is usually high and stable in countries with multi-employer bargaining, and the decentralization of bargaining structures in many countries has contributed to the fall in bargaining coverage observed in the last decades.

Suggested Citation

  • Schnabel, Claus, 2020. "Union Membership and Collective Bargaining: Trends and Determinants," IZA Discussion Papers 13465, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp13465
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    Cited by:

    1. Uwe Jirjahn, 2022. "On the determinants of bargaining‐free membership in German Employers' Associations," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(6), pages 545-558, November.
    2. Boris Hirsch & Philipp Lentge & Claus Schnabel, 2022. "Uncovered workers in plants covered by collective bargaining: Who are they and how do they fare?," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 60(4), pages 929-945, December.
    3. Fenet Jima Bedaso & Uwe Jirjahn, 2024. "Immigrants and trade union membership: Does integration into society and workplace play a moderating role?," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 62(2), pages 262-292, June.
    4. Kevin Pineda‐Hernández & François Rycx & Mélanie Volral, 2022. "How collective bargaining shapes poverty: New evidence for developed countries," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 60(4), pages 895-928, December.
    5. Marco Trentini, 2022. "Political attitudes, participation and union membership in the UK," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(1), pages 19-34, January.
    6. Kovalenko, Tim & Sauerbier, Timo & Schröpf, Benedikt, 2024. "The fall and rebound of average establishment size in West Germany," Discussion Papers 11/2024, Deutsche Bundesbank.
    7. Jirjahn, Uwe, 2021. "Membership in Employers' Associations and Collective Bargaining Coverage in Germany," IZA Discussion Papers 14783, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Pyka, Vinzenz & Schnabel, Claus, 2023. "Unionization of retired workers in Europe," Discussion Papers 128, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Chair of Labour and Regional Economics.
    9. Nicholas Thompson & Adam Robertson & Rebecca Loudoun & Amanda Biggs & Keith Townsend, 2024. "Psychosocial Hazards in the Northern Territory Building and Construction Industry: A Profile of Job Demands and Job Resources in a Jurisdiction and Industry with High Rates of Suicide," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(3), pages 1-15, March.
    10. José-Ignacio Antón & René Böheim & Rudolf Winter-Ebmer, 2022. "The effect of migration on unionization in Austria," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 63(5), pages 2693-2720, November.
    11. Rasmus Wiese & Jakob de Haan & João Tovar Jalles, 2023. "The impact of endogenous product and labour market reforms on unemployment: New evidence based on local projections," Working Papers REM 2023/0296, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, REM, Universidade de Lisboa.
    12. Schröpf, Benedikt, 2021. "The dynamics of wage dispersion between firms: The role of firm entry and exit," Discussion Papers 120, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Chair of Labour and Regional Economics.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    unions; union membership; collective bargaining; decentralization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J51 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Trade Unions: Objectives, Structure, and Effects
    • J52 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Dispute Resolution: Strikes, Arbitration, and Mediation
    • J58 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Public Policy

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