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Is the Erosion Thesis Overblown? Evidence from the Orientation of Uncovered Employers

Author

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  • Addison, John T.

    (Durham University Business School)

  • Teixeira, Paulino

    (University of Coimbra)

  • Evers, Katalin

    (Institute for Employment Research (IAB), Nuremberg)

  • Bellmann, Lutz

    (Institute for Employment Research (IAB), Nuremberg)

Abstract

It is sometimes claimed that the coverage of collective bargaining in Germany is considerably understated because of orientation, a process whereby uncovered firms profess to shadow the wages set under sectoral bargaining. Yet importantly, at a time when collective bargaining proper has been in retreat, little is known of corresponding trends in the frequency of indirect coverage, still less of the degree to which wages are aligned in practice. Using nationally representative data for 2000-2010, this paper charts the extent of orientation in the uncovered sector, and tracks average wages across bargaining regimes as well as changes in wages from switches in regime. It is reported that orientation is growing with the decline in sectoral bargaining and that orienting firms do pay higher wages than their counterparts in the collective bargaining free zone. Yet in neither case – frequency nor remuneration – is the degree of 'compensation' recorded other than partial.

Suggested Citation

  • Addison, John T. & Teixeira, Paulino & Evers, Katalin & Bellmann, Lutz, 2012. "Is the Erosion Thesis Overblown? Evidence from the Orientation of Uncovered Employers," IZA Discussion Papers 6658, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp6658
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John T Addison & Paulino Teixeira & André Pahnke & Lutz Bellmann, 2017. "The demise of a model? The state of collective bargaining and worker representation in Germany," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 38(2), pages 193-234, May.
    2. Bispinck, Reinhard & Dribbusch, Heiner & Schulten, Thorsten, 2010. "German collective bargaining in a European perspective: Continuous erosion or re-stabilisation of multi-employer agreements?," WSI Working Papers 171, The Institute of Economic and Social Research (WSI), Hans Böckler Foundation.
    3. Wolfgang Ochel, 2005. "Decentralizing Wage Bargaining in Germany — A Way to Increase Employment?," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 19(1), pages 91-121, March.
    4. Sven Jung & Claus Schnabel, 2011. "Paying More than Necessary? The Wage Cushion in Germany," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 25(2), pages 182-197, June.
    5. Virginia Doellgast & Ian Greer, 2007. "Vertical Disintegration and the Disorganization of German Industrial Relations1," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 45(1), pages 55-76, March.
    6. Haipeter, Thomas. & Lehndorff, Steffen., 2009. "Collective bargaining on employment," ILO Working Papers 994331283402676, International Labour Organization.
    7. Anke Hassel, 1999. "The Erosion of the German System of Industrial Relations," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 37(3), pages 483-505, September.
    8. Kohaut, Susanne & Ellguth, Peter, 2010. "Tarifbindung und betriebliche Interessenvertretung: Aktuelle Ergebnisse aus dem IAB-Betriebspanel 2009," WSI-Mitteilungen, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, vol. 63(4), pages 204-209.
    9. Addison, John T. & Bryson, Alex & Teixeira, Paulino & Pahnke, André & Bellmann, Lutz, 2010. "The State of Collective Bargaining and Worker Representation in Germany: The Erosion Continues," IZA Discussion Papers 5030, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. repec:ilo:ilowps:433128 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Anke Hassel, 2002. "The Erosion Continues: Reply," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 40(2), pages 309-317, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. John Addison & Paulino Teixeira & Jens Stephani & Lutz Bellmann, 2012. "Can German Unions Still Cut It?," GEMF Working Papers 2012-19, GEMF, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra.
    2. David Marsden, 2015. "The future of the German industrial relations model [Die Zukunft des deutschen Modells der Arbeitsbeziehungen]," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 48(2), pages 169-187, August.
    3. Addison, John T. & Teixeira, Paulino & Stephani, Jens & Bellmann, Lutz, 2014. "Union Decline and the Coverage Wage Gap in Germany," IZA Discussion Papers 8257, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Alexander Hijzen & Pedro S. Martins & Jante Parlevliet, 2017. "Collective Bargaining Through the Magnifying Glass: A Comparison Between the Netherlands and Portugal," IMF Working Papers 2017/275, International Monetary Fund.
    5. Addison, John T. & Teixeira, Paulino & Evers, Katalin & Bellmann, Lutz, 2013. "Collective Bargaining and Innovation in Germany: Cooperative Industrial Relations?," IZA Discussion Papers 7871, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Bellmann, Lutz & Gerner, Hans-Dieter & Hübler, Olaf, 2013. "Investment under Company-Level Pacts," IZA Discussion Papers 7195, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    7. John Addison & Paulino Teixeira & Katalin Evers & Lutz Bellmann, 2014. "Indicative and Updated Estimates of the Collective Bargaining Premium in Germany," Industrial Relations: A Journal of Economy and Society, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(1), pages 125-156, January.
    8. Andrea Schäfer & Karin Gottschall, 2015. "From wage regulation to wage gap: how wage-setting institutions and structures shape the gender wage gap across three industries in 24 European countries and Germany," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 39(2), pages 467-496.
    9. Bispinck, Reinhard & Schulten, Thorsten, 2014. "Wages, collective bargaining and economic development in Germany: Towards a more expansive and solidaristic development?," WSI Working Papers 191, The Institute of Economic and Social Research (WSI), Hans Böckler Foundation.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    sectoral bargaining; uncovered sector; erosion of collective bargaining; orientation; wages; regime shifts;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J5 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining

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