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The trade-off between precommitment and flexibility in trade union wage setting

Author

Listed:
  • Simon P. Anderson
  • Michael B. Devereux

Abstract

This paper examines two types of contract structures in a model where a trade union supplies labor to an industry, and sets the wage to maximize welfare. Firms' investment is endogenous, and the industry price is stochastic. Under short-term contracts, the union sets the wage after the firms' investment is in place, but also after the industry price is known. Under long- term contracts, the wage is chosen before investment and before the industry price is known. With short-term contracts the union has the benefit of ex-post wage flexibility, while under long-term contracts the union has the benefit of advance wage commitment which may be an important determinant of contract structure. The trade-off is examined in detail.

Suggested Citation

  • Simon P. Anderson & Michael B. Devereux, 1990. "The trade-off between precommitment and flexibility in trade union wage setting," Working Papers 199007, School of Economics, University College Dublin.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucn:wpaper:199007
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10197/1476
    File Function: First version, 1990
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    Cited by:

    1. van Ewijk, Casper & Tang, Paul J.G., 2007. "Unions, progressive taxes, and education subsidies," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 1119-1139, December.
    2. Erkki Koskela & Mikko Puhakka, 2006. "Stability and Dynamics in an Overlapping Generations Economy under Flexible Wage Negotiation and Capital Accumulation," CESifo Working Paper Series 1840, CESifo.
    3. Neilson, William & Price, Michael & Wichmann, Bruno, 2018. "Added surplus and lost bargaining power in long-term contracting," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 7-22.
    4. Heikki Kauppi & Erkki Koskela & Rune Stenbacka, 2004. "Equilibrium Unemployment and Capital Intensity Under Product and Labor Market Imperfections," CESifo Working Paper Series 1343, CESifo.

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