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The impact of Union Power on the Optimal Income Tax Schedule

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  • Mathias, HUNGERBUEHLER

    (UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES) and ERMES, Université Paris II)

Abstract

We explain the positive correlation between union power and tax progressivity from a normative point of view by integrating labour market frictions and union power in an optimal taxation framework. We find that unions and redistributive taxation are complementary in the sense that they both create inefficiencies that weaken each other. We find that strong unions incease welfare and efficiency when the government faces in adverse selection problem when redistributing income.

Suggested Citation

  • Mathias, HUNGERBUEHLER, 2004. "The impact of Union Power on the Optimal Income Tax Schedule," LIDAM Discussion Papers IRES 2004034, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
    • Handle: RePEc:ctl:louvir:2004034
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    File URL: http://sites.uclouvain.be/econ/DP/IRES/2004-34.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Mathias Hungerbühler & Etienne Lehmann & Alexis Parmentier & Bruno Van Der Linden, 2006. "Optimal Redistributive Taxation in a Search Equilibrium Model," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 73(3), pages 743-767.
    2. Alexis, PARMENTIER, 2006. "The effects of the marginal tax rate in a matching model with endogenous labor supply," Discussion Papers (ECON - Département des Sciences Economiques) 2006011, Université catholique de Louvain, Département des Sciences Economiques.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Optimal Income Taxation; Unions; Matching;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • J51 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Trade Unions: Objectives, Structure, and Effects
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search

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