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The Emergence of Wage Coordination in the Central Western European Metal Sector and its Relationship to European Economic Policy

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  • Glassner, Vera
  • Pusch, Toralf

Abstract

In the European Monetary Union the transnational coordination of collective wage bargaining has acquired increased importance on the trade union agenda. The metal sector has been at the forefront of these developments. This paper addresses the issue of crossborder coordination of wage setting in the metal sector in the central western European region, that is, in Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium, where coordination practices have become firmly established in comparison to other sectors. When testing the interaction of wage developments in the metal sector of these three countries, relevant macroeconomic (inflation and labour productivity) and sector-related variables (employment, export-dependence) are considered with reference to the wage policy guidelines of the European Commission and the European Metalworkers' Federation. Empirical evidence can be found for a wage coordination effect in the form of increasing compliance with the wage policy guidelines of the European Metalworkers' Federation. The evidence for compliance with the stability-oriented wage guideline of the European Commission is weaker.

Suggested Citation

  • Glassner, Vera & Pusch, Toralf, 2010. "The Emergence of Wage Coordination in the Central Western European Metal Sector and its Relationship to European Economic Policy," IWH Discussion Papers 13/2010, Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
  • Handle: RePEc:zbw:iwhdps:iwh-13-10
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Vera Glassner, 2011. "Gewerkschaftsansätze zur lohnpolitischen Koordinierung in der Eurozone," Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft - WuG, Kammer für Arbeiter und Angestellte für Wien, Abteilung Wirtschaftswissenschaft und Statistik, vol. 37(4), pages 531-553.
    2. repec:clr:wugarc:y:2011:v:37i:4p:531 is not listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    wage coordination; metal sector; EMU; European economic policy; Lohnkoordination; Metallsektor; EWU; europäische Wirtschaftspolitik;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J30 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - General
    • J51 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Trade Unions: Objectives, Structure, and Effects
    • E02 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General - - - Institutions and the Macroeconomy
    • F55 - International Economics - - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy - - - International Institutional Arrangements
    • L61 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Metals and Metal Products; Cement; Glass; Ceramics

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