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Trade Unions, Unemployment, Economic Growth, And Income Inequality

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  • Chang, Juin-jen
  • Hung, Hsiao-wen

Abstract

In this paper, unemployment, growth, and income inequality are interdependent and endogenously determined in a unified model of a trade union. Analytically, we show that the effective labor force exhibits an intensive margin response, in the sense that in response to higher unionization the number of employed workers decreases, but each individual employed worker provides more working hours. This intensive margin response leads to the possibility of the coexistence of high unemployment and high growth. Moreover, unionization gives rise to an ambiguous effect on income inequality, whereas it has an unambiguously positive effect on the labor income share and growth rate. Our numerical study shows that the elasticity of substitution between labor and capital plays an important role in governing the steady-state consequences and affecting the impact of (de-) unionization. These results provide not only a plausible explanation of the empirical evidence, but also a reconciliation for the disparity in the empirical findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Chang, Juin-jen & Hung, Hsiao-wen, 2016. "Trade Unions, Unemployment, Economic Growth, And Income Inequality," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 20(1), pages 404-428, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:macdyn:v:20:y:2016:i:01:p:404-428_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Chu, Angus C. & Cozzi, Guido & Furukawa, Yuichi, 2016. "Unions, innovation and cross-country wage inequality," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 104-118.
    2. Chen, Shu-Hua, 2020. "Inequality-growth nexus under progressive income taxation," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    3. Chen, W.D., 2018. "Upward wage rigidity and Japan's dispatched worker system," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 152-162.
    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. Agénor, Pierre-Richard & Lim, King Yoong, 2018. "Unemployment, growth and welfare effects of labor market reforms," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 19-38.
    6. Neto, António & Furukawa, Yuichi & Ribeiro, Ana Paula, 2017. "Can Trade Unions Increase Social Welfare? An R&D Model with Cash-in-Advance Constraints," MPRA Paper 77312, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Bhattacharyya, Chandril & Ranjan Gupta, Manash, 2021. "Unionised labour market, environment and endogenous growth," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 29-44.
    8. Wei, Xiahai & Jiang, Feng & Chen, Yu, 2023. "Who pays for environmental protection? The impact of green tax reform on labor share in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    9. MA, Xinxin & CHENG, Jie, 2023. "The Impact of Trade Unions on the Gender Wage Gap : Evidence from China," Discussion Paper Series 752, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    10. Grieben, Wolf-Heimo & Şener, Fuat, 2017. "Wage bargaining, trade and growth," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(3), pages 564-587.
    11. Chao, Chi-Chur & Ee, Mong Shan, 2024. "Does unionization reduce wage inequality? New evidence from business dynamism," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 690-703.
    12. Pierre‐Richard Agénor & Kamer K. Ozdemir & Emmanuel Pinto Moreira, 2021. "Gender Gaps in the Labour Market and Economic Growth," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 88(350), pages 235-270, April.
    13. Óscar Afonso & Tiago Neves Sequeira & Marcelo Santos & Pedro Cunha Neves, 2023. "Global Firms, (de)unionization and Wage Inequality," Open Economies Review, Springer, vol. 34(5), pages 979-1013, November.

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