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Why Have Real Wages Lagged Labour Productivity Growth in Canada?

Author

Listed:
  • Andrew Sharpe
  • Jean-Francois Arsenault
  • Peter Harrison

Abstract

The most direct mechanism by which labour productivity affects living standards is through real wages, that is, wages adjusted to reflect the cost of living. Between 1980 and 2005, the median real earnings of Canadians workers stagnated, while labour productivity rose 37 per cent. This article analyzes the reasons for this situation. It identifies four factors of roughly equal importance: rising earning inequalities; falling terms of trade for labour; a decrease in labour’s share of GDP; and measurement issues.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew Sharpe & Jean-Francois Arsenault & Peter Harrison, 2008. "Why Have Real Wages Lagged Labour Productivity Growth in Canada?," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 17, pages 16-27, Fall.
    • Handle: RePEc:sls:ipmsls:v:17:y:2008:2
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    File URL: http://www.csls.ca/ipm/17/IPM-17-sharpe.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Heisz, Andrew, 2007. "Income Inequality and Redistribution in Canada: 1976 to 2004," Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series 2007298e, Statistics Canada, Analytical Studies Branch.
    2. Jean-Francois Arsenault & Andrew Sharpe, 2008. "An Analysis of the Causes of Weak Labour Productivity Growth in Canada since 2000," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 16, pages 14-39, Spring.
    3. Paul Conway & Véronique Janod & Giuseppe Nicoletti, 2005. "Product Market Regulation in OECD Countries: 1998 to 2003," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 419, OECD Publishing.
    4. Andrew Sharpe & Jean-François Arsenault & Peter Harrison, 2008. "The Relationship between Productivity and Real Wage Growth in Canada and OECD Countries, 1961-2006," CSLS Research Reports 2008-08, Centre for the Study of Living Standards.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. James (Jim) C. MacGee & Joel Rodrigue, 2024. "The Distributional Origins of the Canada-US GDP and Labour Productivity Gaps," Staff Working Papers 24-49, Bank of Canada.
    2. Chandranath Amarasekara & George J. Bratsiotis, 2012. "Monetary policy and real wage cyclicality," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(33), pages 4391-4408, November.
    3. Lars Osberg, 2011. "Why Did Unemployment Disappear from Official Macro-Economic Policy Discourse in Canada?," New Directions for Intelligent Government in Canada: Papers in Honour of Ian Stewart, in: Fred Gorbet & Andrew Sharpe (ed.),New Directions for Intelligent Government in Canada: Papers in Honour of Ian Stewart, pages 127-162, Centre for the Study of Living Standards.
    4. Jacob Greenspon & Anna Stansbury & Lawrence H. Summers, 2021. "Productivity and Pay in the United States and Canada," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 41, pages 3-30, Fall.
    5. Jacques Rouillard & Jean-François Rouillard, 2018. "Perspective historique sur l’évolution des salaires réels au Québec (1940-2016)," Cahiers de recherche 18-04, Departement d'économique de l'École de gestion à l'Université de Sherbrooke.
    6. Dany Brouillette & Laurence Savoie-Chabot, 2016. "Un examen plus approfondi des pressions salariales au Canada," Staff Analytical Notes 16-6, Bank of Canada.
    7. Cyrille Schwellnus & Andreas Kappeler & Pierre-Alain Pionnier, 2017. "The Decoupling of Median Wages from Productivity in OECD Countries," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 32, pages 44-60, Spring.
    8. Don Drummond & Evan Capeluck & Matthew Calver, 2015. "The Key Challenge for Canadian Public Policy: Generating Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth," CSLS Research Reports 2015-11, Centre for the Study of Living Standards.
    9. Andrew Sharpe & Cristina Blanco Iglesias & Myeongwan Kim, 2020. "What Explains the Rising Profit Share in Canada?," CSLS Research Reports 2020-07, Centre for the Study of Living Standards.
    10. Andrew Sharpe & Christopher Ross, 2011. "Living Standards Domain of the Canadian Index of Wellbeing," CSLS Research Reports 2011-17, Centre for the Study of Living Standards.
    11. Mr. Marcello M. Estevão & Ms. Evridiki Tsounta, 2010. "Canada's Potential Growth: Another Victim of the Crisis?," IMF Working Papers 2010/013, International Monetary Fund.
    12. Andrew Sharpe & Alexander Murray, 2011. "State of the Evidence on Health as a Determinant of Productivity," CSLS Research Reports 2011-04, Centre for the Study of Living Standards.
    13. Parui, Pintu, 2015. "Government Expenditure and Economic Growth: A Demand-side Analysis," MPRA Paper 66855, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 30 Dec 2019.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Productivity; Real Wages; Earnings; Labour Share; Inequalities;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E20 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - General (includes Measurement and Data)
    • E25 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Aggregate Factor Income Distribution
    • O51 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - U.S.; Canada
    • O40 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - General
    • J38 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Public Policy
    • J39 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Other

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