Unions and Productivity, Financial Performance and Investment: International Evidence

摘要: If the presence of a union in workplace or firm raises pay level, unless productivity rises correspondingly, financial performance is likely to be worse. product market uncompetitive this might imply simple transfer from capital labour with no efficiency effects, but probably more lead lower investment rates and economic senescence. Therefore impact unions on productivity, extremely important. This paper distils evidence such effects six countries: USA, Canada, UK, Germany, Japan Australia. It not possible use theory predict unambiguously any effect because can both enhance detract firm. The indicates that, workplaces high work systems recognition have higher than other workplaces. In UK previous negative links between been eroded by greater competition emphasis ''partnership'' industrial relations there lingering multi-unionism, just as Germany weight suggests that information, consultation voice role works councils enhances particularly larger firms. also tend raise via longer job tenures which makes it attractive invest human through unpaid personnel manager played full-time enterprise officials workplace. Unions will reduce profits if they and/or productivity. pretty clear cut: bulk studies show inferior unionised workplaces, firms sectors their non-union counterparts. But world may changing. A recent study small USA entrepreneurial found positive association outlawing closed shop, coupled incidence multi-unionism has contributed union-management cooperation find profits. North American German unionisation reduces around one fifth compared rate Canada even felt at low levels unionisation. mixed: most thorough finds depresses investment, adverse offset density rises. exception where goes hand-in-hand intensity.