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Unions Improve Chinese Workers' Welfare

Author

Listed:
  • Yang Yao

    (China Center for Economic Research)

  • Ninghua Zhong

Abstract

Based on a survey of 1,268 firms in 12 Chinese cities, this paper empirically studies the effects of unions on three aspects of workers welfare, namely, hourly wages, monthly working hours, and pension coverage. Our baseline results show that unionization increases hourly wage rates by 5.6%, reduces monthly working hours by 1.4%, and raises pension coverage by 12.3%. Taking the endogeneity of unionization into consideration, our 3SLS estimation finds larger effects. These results are robust in the subsample of domestic private enterprises where unions are less common than in other types of firms. Further econometric analysis has established two channels for unions to improve workers welfare, one by encouraging collective wage contracts, and the other by encouraging written contracts.

Suggested Citation

  • Yang Yao & Ninghua Zhong, 2010. "Unions Improve Chinese Workers' Welfare," Labor Economics Working Papers 22771, East Asian Bureau of Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:eab:laborw:22771
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    File URL: http://www.eaber.org/node/22771
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Ying Ge, 2014. "Do Chinese Unions Have “Real” Effects On Employee Compensation?," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 32(1), pages 187-202, January.
    2. Guojun He & Jeffrey M. Perloff, 2013. "Does Customer Auditing Help Chinese Workers?," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 66(2), pages 511-524, April.
    3. Tony Fang & Ying Ge & Youqing Fan, 2019. "Unions and the productivity performance of multinational enterprises: evidence from China," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 18(4), pages 281-300, September.
    4. Dr. Muhammad Tariq Khan & Prof. Dr. Naseer Ahmed Khan & Khalid Mahmood, 2012. "A Chronological Record Of Problems Of Unionization And Union Functioning In Asia," Far East Journal of Psychology and Business, Far East Research Centre, vol. 9(4), pages 48-56, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Unionization; Chinese firms;

    JEL classification:

    • J51 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Trade Unions: Objectives, Structure, and Effects

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