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Company-Level Pacts for Employment

Author

Listed:
  • Bellmann Lutz

    (Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung, Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Regensburger Straße 106, 90327 Nürnberg, Germany. Phone)

  • Gerlach Knut

    (Institut für Arbeitsökonomie, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Königsworther Platz 1, 30167 Hannover, Germany)

  • Meyer Wolfgang

    (Institut für Sozialpolitik, Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Königsworther Platz 1, 30167 Hannover, Germany)

Abstract

Company-level pacts for employment are agreements between management and the company's work force that are characterized by concessions from both bargaining partners. Employees agree to company-specific deviations from a collective contract that include negative components like reduced wages or prolonged working time in exchange for employment guarantees or investment programs. These pacts are negotiated to avoid or mitigate a decline of employment or to improve the long-term competitiveness of the firm. Based on the IAB Establishment Panel of the years 2004 to 2007 the employment consequences of these pacts are analyzed. It can be shown that company-level pacts tend to correlate negatively with employment growth. This finding basically holds if the endogeneity of pacts is taken into account.

Suggested Citation

  • Bellmann Lutz & Gerlach Knut & Meyer Wolfgang, 2008. "Company-Level Pacts for Employment," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 228(5-6), pages 533-553, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:jns:jbstat:v:228:y:2008:i:5-6:p:533-553
    DOI: 10.1515/jbnst-2008-5-608
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Boris Hirsch & Claus Schnabel, 2014. "What can we Learn from Bargaining Models about Union Power? The Decline in Union Power in Germany, 1992–2009," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 82(3), pages 347-362, June.
    2. Lutz Bellmann & Hans-Dieter Gerner & Olaf Hübler, 2014. "Effects of reciprocal concessions on employment and real capital," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 34(1), pages 494-509.
    3. Uwe Jirjahn, 2013. "Der Beitrag der Arbeitsmarktökonomik zur Erforschung von Gewerkschaften und Tarifvertragsbeziehungen in Deutschland," Research Papers in Economics 2013-03, University of Trier, Department of Economics.
    4. Olivier Bargain & Herwig Immervoll & Andreas Peichl & Sebastian Siegloch, 2012. "Distributional consequences of labor-demand shocks: the 2008–2009 recession in Germany," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 19(1), pages 118-138, February.
    5. Bargain, O. & Herwig Immervoll & Andreas Peichl & Siegloch, S., 2010. "GINI DP 1: Distributional Consequences of Labor-Demand Adjustments to a Downturn. A Model-Based Approach with Application to Germany 2008-09," GINI Discussion Papers 1, AIAS, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies.
    6. Görlitz Katja, 2010. "The Development of Employers’ Training Investments Over Time – A Decomposition Analysis Using German Establishment Data," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 230(2), pages 186-207, April.
    7. John T. Addison & Alex Bryson & Paulino Teixeira & André Pahnke & Lutz Bellmann, 2013. "The Extent of Collective Bargaining and Workplace Representation: Transitions between States and their Determinants. A Comparative Analysis of Germany and Great Britain," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 60(2), pages 182-209, May.
    8. Lutz Bellmann & Werner Widuckel, 2022. "In-plant alliances can mitigate economic crisis impacts," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 1-79, December.
    9. Addison, John T. & Teixeira, Paulino & Evers, Katalin & Bellmann, Lutz, 2015. "Pacts for Employment and Competitiveness as a Role Model? Their Effects on Firm Performance," IZA Discussion Papers 9323, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Addison, John T. & Teixeira, Paulino & Evers, Katalin & Bellmann, Lutz, 2015. "Pacts for Employment and Competitiveness as a Role Model? Their Effects on Firm Performance," IZA Discussion Papers 9323, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Hirsch, Boris & Schnabel, Claus, 2011. "Let's take bargaining models seriously: The decline in union power in Germany, 1992 - 2009," FAU Discussion Papers in Economics 10/2011, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Institute for Economics.
    12. Bellmann, Lutz & Gerner, Hans-Dieter & Hübler, Olaf, 2013. "Investment under Company-Level Pacts," IZA Discussion Papers 7195, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Tobias Brändle, 2017. "Flexible collective bargaining agreements: Still a moderating effect on works council behaviour?," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 38(8), pages 1137-1153, December.
    14. John T. Addison & Paulino Teixeira & Katalin Evers & Lutz Bellmann, 2017. "Contract Innovation in Germany: An Economic Evaluation of Pacts for Employment and Competitiveness," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 55(3), pages 500-526, September.
    15. János Köllo, 2011. "Hungary: Crisis Coupled with a Fiscal Squeeze – Effects on Inequality," Chapters, in: Daniel Vaughan-Whitehead (ed.), Work Inequalities in the Crisis, chapter 7, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    16. Felix Hüfner & Caroline Klein, 2012. "The German Labour Market: Preparing for the Future," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 983, OECD Publishing.
    17. Boris Hirsch & Thomas Zwick, 2015. "How Selective Are Real Wage Cuts? A Micro-analysis Using Linked Employer–Employee Data," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 29(4), pages 327-347, December.
    18. Lutz Bellmann, 2014. "Do in-plant alliances foster employment?," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 1-79, June.
    19. Bellmann Lutz & Gerner Hans-Dieter, 2012. "Further Training and Company-Level Pacts for Employment in Germany," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 232(2), pages 98-115, April.
    20. Uwe Jirjahn, 2015. "Research on Trade Unions and Collective Bargaining in Germany: The Contribution of Labor Economics," Research Papers in Economics 2015-10, University of Trier, Department of Economics.
    21. Köllő, János, 2010. "Vállalati reakciók a gazdasági válságra, 2008-2009 [Corporate reactions to the economic crisis, 2008-9]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(12), pages 1045-1064.
    22. Lutz Bellmann, 2014. "Kontinuität und Veränderung des IAB-Betriebspanels [The development of the IAB establishment panel]," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 47(1), pages 5-26, March.
    23. Olivier Bargain & Herwig Immervoll & Andreas Peichl & Sebastian Siegloch, 2011. "Distributional Consequences of Labor-demand Shocks: The 2008-09 Recession in Germany," CESifo Working Paper Series 3403, CESifo.
    24. Dietz, Martin & Stops, Michael & Walwei, Ulrich, 2012. "Securing Jobs in Times of Recession. The German Experience during the Financial Crisis 2008/2009/Asegurando los puestos de trabajo en tiempos de recesión. La experiencia alemana durante la crisis fina," Estudios de Economia Aplicada, Estudios de Economia Aplicada, vol. 30, pages 59-100, Abril.
    25. Vivian Carstensen, 2013. "The German Labor Market Miracle Revisited: Risk Elimination in Working Time Accounts," Eurasian Journal of Social Sciences, Eurasian Publications, vol. 1(1), pages 19-38.

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