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Who Ultimately Bears the Burden of Greater Non-Wage Labour costs?

Author

Listed:
  • Rodolphe Desbordes

    (Department of Economics, University of Strathclyde)

  • Céline Azémar

    (Department of Economics, University of Glasgow)

Abstract

We investigate the effect of a rise in non-wage labour costs (NWLC) on real manufacturing labour costs in OECD countries, taking into account the degree of coordination in the wage bargaining process. We find that, in countries in which wage bargaining is not highly coordinated, 55% of an increase in NWLC appears to be shifted to workers in the long run, whereas in countries operating under a highly coordinated bargaining regime, full shifting occurs. Overall, our results suggest that high NWLC can be associated with a high equilibrium unemployment rate, but only in those OECD countries that do not have highly coordinated wage bargaining.

Suggested Citation

  • Rodolphe Desbordes & Céline Azémar, 2010. "Who Ultimately Bears the Burden of Greater Non-Wage Labour costs?," Working Papers 1004, University of Strathclyde Business School, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:str:wpaper:1004
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    1. Giuseppe Croce, 2015. "Tax-benefits policies jointly run by the social partners:Labour market implications of the Bipartite Sectoral Funds," Working Papers in Public Economics 173, University of Rome La Sapienza, Department of Economics and Law.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    labour costs; tax wedge; wage determination; bargaining coordination;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H22 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Incidence
    • H30 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - General
    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions
    • J32 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Nonwage Labor Costs and Benefits; Retirement Plans; Private Pensions

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