| Popis: |
The most commonly studied aspect of unionism is the relative wage effects that the presence of unions generates. Numerous studies, predominantly for US and UK labour markets, have attempted to measure the extent of the union–nonunion wage gap. Yet, despite the importance of unions in wage determination, no such evidence exists for Italy. Two main reasons can be put forward to explain the lack of studies: firstly, to date, no information on union status was available in any of the existing earnings surveys; secondly, the union-nonunion distinction has a different meaning in the Italian industrial relations system. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of unions on relative wages using establishment-level data for the metal-mechanical industry. A positive (statistically statistically) wage differential is found in establishments where unions are recognised for local collective bargaining. The wage gap is shown to be bigger for white-collar workers. After rejecting the hypothesis of a constant wage differential, various differentials according to establishment characteristics are calculated. Union-threat effects show a positive effect on pay in the sector not covered by local bargaining. |
