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Cyclical Fluctuations in Strike Activity

Author

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  • Sheena McConnell

Abstract

Using a set of data on contracts and strikes for the period 1970–81, the author distinguishes among the roles of aggregate business conditions, labor market conditions, and product market conditions in the determination of strike incidence and duration. Strike incidence is found to be highest in industries that are depressed relative to the rest of the economy but in regions with low unemployment. This finding is consistent with the theory that the cost of a strike to a firm increases with the demand for its product and the cost of a strike to the union increases with unemployment. Another finding, however, is that strikes are longest in industries that are booming relative to the rest of the economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Sheena McConnell, 1990. "Cyclical Fluctuations in Strike Activity," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 44(1), pages 130-143, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ilrrev:v:44:y:1990:i:1:p:130-143
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    Cited by:

    1. Filippo Belloc, 2019. "Labor Conflict at the Workplace: Do Dismissal Regulations Matter?," Department of Economics University of Siena 806, Department of Economics, University of Siena.
    2. Michele Campolieti, 2021. "Strikes in British Coal Mining, 1893–1940: Testing Models of Strikes," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(2), pages 243-273, April.
    3. Symeonidis, George, 2017. "Does product market competition increase strike activity? Evidence from the UK," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 42-56.
    4. Currie, Janet & McConnell, Sheena, 1994. "The Impact of Collective-Bargaining Legislation on Disputes in the U.S. Public Sector: No Legislation May Be the Worst Legislation," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 37(2), pages 519-547, October.
    5. Harrison, Alan & Stewart, Mark, 1994. "Is Strike Behavior Cyclical?," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 12(4), pages 524-553, October.
    6. A. P. Dickerson & P. A. Geroski & K. G. Knight, 1997. "Productivity, Efficiency and Strike Activity," International Review of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(1), pages 119-134.
    7. Paul J. Devereux & Robert A. Hart, 2011. "A Good Time to Stay Out? Strikes and the Business Cycle," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 49(Supplemen), pages 70-92, June.
    8. Miguel Malo & Nuria Sánchez-Sánchez, 2014. "The legal form of labour conflicts and their time persistence: an empirical analysis with a large firms’ panel," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 38(3), pages 513-533, December.
    9. Giorgos Gouzoulis, 2023. "What do indebted employees do? Financialisation and the decline of industrial action," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(1), pages 71-94, January.
    10. Michele Campolieti & Chris Riddell, 2019. "Interest Arbitration and the Narcotic Effect: Evidence from Three Decades of Collective Bargaining in Ontario," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 57(3), pages 421-452, September.

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