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Union Wage Setting and International Trade

Author

Listed:
  • Hartmut Egger
  • Daniel Etzel

Abstract

This paper sets up a general oligopolistic equilibrium model with two countries that differ in the centralization of union wage setting. Being interested in the consequences of openness, we show that, in the short-run, trade increases welfare and employment in both locations, and it raises income of capital owners as well as workers. In the long run, capital outflows from the country with the more centralized wage setting generate winners and losers and make the two countries more dissimilar in terms of unemployment of welfare. Decentralization of wage setting can successfully prevent capital outflow and the export of jobs.

Suggested Citation

  • Hartmut Egger & Daniel Etzel, 2012. "Union Wage Setting and International Trade," CESifo Working Paper Series 3929, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_3929
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Rudy Colacicco, 2015. "Ten Years Of General Oligopolistic Equilibrium: A Survey," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(5), pages 965-992, December.
    2. Hosaki Sano, 2018. "Labor union and firm fs relocation: A general oligopolistic equilibrium model analysis," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 18-15-Rev., Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics, revised May 2018.
    3. T. Gries & R. Grundmann & I. Palnau & M. Redlin, 2017. "Innovations, growth and participation in advanced economies - a review of major concepts and findings," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 293-351, April.
    4. Marco de Pinto, 2015. "Firm-level versus Sector-level Trade Unions – The Role of Rent-Sharing Motives," IAAEU Discussion Papers 201508, Institute of Labour Law and Industrial Relations in the European Union (IAAEU).
    5. Tapio Palokangas, 2020. "Public policy, footloose capital, and union influence," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(4), pages 976-991, September.
    6. Hosaki Sano, 2020. "The endogenous decisions of unionization and international trade: A general oligopolistic equilibrium model analysis," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 88(5), pages 641-663, September.
    7. Hosaki Sano, 2018. "The endogenous decisions of unionization and international trade: A general oligopolistic equilibrium model analysis," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 18-14, Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    general oligopolistic equilibrium; union wage setting; asymmetric labor market institutions; trade liberalization; capital mobility; decentralization in union wage setting;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F12 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Models of Trade with Imperfect Competition and Scale Economies; Fragmentation
    • F16 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Labor Market Interactions
    • J51 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Trade Unions: Objectives, Structure, and Effects
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets

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