The Accord and Strikes: An International Perspective

This paper examines the relationship between Australian and world strike activity between 1960 and 1998. Appropriate indices are constructed for which evidence of a long-run equilibrium relation is found between Australian and world strike activity. The evidence suggests Australian and world strike rate indices are cointegrated with a breakpoint in that relation occurring sometime in the very late 1960s or early 1970s. No breakpoints are in evidence before, during or after the period (1983-96) of the Accord. This result is consistent with the view that the decline in strike activity in Australia during the period of the Accord was not a singularly Australian experience.The Accord, strikes, strike activity, Australia

Running Injuries Due to Strike Patterns

Running is a very repetitive activity that can lead to surmountable stresses to the body over time that could lead to injury. Running biomechanics can influence the effects that the body will experience. This paper will discuss the biomechanical effects that relate to two different strike patterns: rearfoot and forefoot. Research will be examined as to how the strike patterns can influence the major lower extremity joints: ankle, knee, and hip. Common injuries during running as related to strike pattern are also discussed through conclusions based on research studies

Government Transfer Payments and Strike Activity: Reforming Public Policy

[Excerpt] One of the most controversial labor policy issues is whether strikers should be eligible for government transfer payments, such as unemployment compensation, public assistance, and food stamps. The controversy often focuses on whether payment of such benefits to strikers increases the magnitude of strike activity. In this article, we argue that that is the wrong focus. The key issue is not whether strikers receive benefits, but who finances them. We contend that to the extent that the benefits are financed by the parties to the conflict (the employer and union), the transfers will not affect strike activity. This article extends our recent book on this topic, by briefly describing current and past policies, summarizing our argument for why financing is key, and presenting a proposal for reforming strike-related government transfers

Strategic Union Delegation and Strike Activity

We develop a model of wage determination with private information, in which te union has the option to delegate the wage bargaining to either surplus-maximizing delegates or to wage-maximizing delegates (such as senior union members). We show that the strike activity is greater whenever the union chooses wage-maximizing delegates instead of surplus-maximizing delegates. We also provide the necessary and sufficient condition such that it is always optimal for the union to choose wage-maximizing delegates and we we find that the efficiency loss due to strategic delegation may be quite important.Union delegation;Wage bargaining;Private information;Strike activity

Influence of the public transportation system on the air quality of a major urban center. A case study: Milan, Italy

A sampling campaign was conducted in the city of Milan, Italy before and during a transportation strike in January 2004. This strike provided a unique opportunity to investigate the influence of public transportation on the air quality in a major metropolitan area. Twenty-four air samples were collected each day around the city on January 2nd, 7th and 9th. The samples were analyzed for methane, carbon monoxide, non-methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs), halocarbons and alkyl nitrates. Significant differences in the mixing ratios were observed among the three days of sampling, with January 2nd showing the lowest concentrations as a result of decreased activity in the city during the holiday season. January 9th showed the highest NMHC concentrations because of increased vehicular activity in the city due to a public transportation strike. This paper investigates the correlation between the increased number of vehicles and decreased air quality because of a reduction in public transportation. Computer simulations were able to reproduce measurements of ozone production during the January 2004 strike and a July 2005 strike. The measurements and simulations suggest that reduced VOC emissions due to the existence of public transportation lowers peak ozone by 11-33% during the summer months. © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Product Market Integration, Wage Bargaining and Strike Activity

We develop a spatial two-country model of wage determination with private information in unionized imperfectly competitive industries. We investigage the effects of separated product markets opening up for competition as well as of further market integration on the negotiated wage and the strike activity. We show that, when product markets are separated, the wage level and the strike activity are decreasing with the transportation cost and the home market size. However, when markets are integrated, wages and strikes are now increasing with the transportation cost. Finally, we find that the opening of markets for competition has an ambiguous impact on both the negotiated wage and the strike activity.economic integration;horizontal differentiation;product market competition;wage bargaining;strike activity

Distribution of Trading Activity across Strike Prices in the DAX Index Options Market

In this paper we propose and estimate an econometric model for the distribution of trading activity across options written on the DAX index. The model is based on the observation that in this market options with strike prices ending on 000, 200, 400, 600 and 800 (the class of 200-strike options) are more traded than options with strike prices ending on 100, 300, 500, 700 and 900 (the class of 100-strike contracts). We assume that market participants who would like to trade a continuum of contracts have to choose between the options listed by the exchange. When they have to choose between two neighboring 200- and 100-strike contracts, they prefer the 200-strike contract if the degree of substitution between these two options is high. We derive an equation which links the trading volumes of the 200- and 100-strike options and the degree of substitution between them. This equation has convenient analytical properties and can be readily estimated from the data. The estimation results confirm the hypothesised effect of the degree of substitution on the distribution of trading between 200- and 100-strike contracts. Additionally, we are able to derive some quantitative estimates of the percentage of trades attracted to the 200-strike contracts.Market Microstructure, Options Volume

Market Integration and Strike Activity

We consider a two-country model of wage determination with private information in unionized imperfectly competitive industries. We investigate the effects of separated product markets opening up for competition as well as of further market integration on the negociated wage and the maximum delay in reaching an agreement. From an initial situation of reciprocal intra-industry trade, an increase in product market integration will decrease the maximal delay in reaching an agreement. However, markets opening up for competition have an ambiguous effect on both the wage outcome and the maximum real delay time in reaching an agreement.economic integration; product market competition; wage bargaining; strike activity

A Good Time to Stay Out? Strikes and the Business Cycle

In this paper, we compile a unique historical dataset that records strike activity in the British engineering industry from 1920 to 1970. These data have the advantage of containing a fairly homogenous set of companies and workers, covering a long period with varying labour market conditions, including information that enables the addition of union and company fixed effects, and providing geographical detail that allows a district-level analysis that controls for year and seasonal effects. We study the cyclicality of strike durations, strike incidence, and strike outcomes and distinguish between pay and non-pay strikes. Like the previous literature, we find evidence that strikes over pay have countercyclical durations. However, in the post-war period, the magnitude of this effect is much reduced when union and firm fixed effects are included. These findings suggest that it is important when studying strike durations to take account of differences in the composition of companies and unions that are involved in strikes at different points of the business cycle. We also find that strike outcomes tend to be more favourable to unions when the national unemployment rate is lower.incidence, duration, cyclicality, strikes, outcome

Geomorphic signal of active faulting at the northern edge of Lut Block. Insights on the kinematic scenario of Central Iran

Recent works documented Neogene to Quaternary dextral strike-slip tectonics along the Kuh-e-Sarhangi and Kuh-e-Faghan intraplate strike-slip faults at the northern edge of the Lut Block of Central Iran, previously thought to be dominated by sinistral strike-slip deformation. This work focuses on the evidence of Quaternary activity of one of these fault systems, in order to provide new spatio-temporal constraints on their role in the active regional kinematic scenario. Through geomorphological and structural investigation, integrated with Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating of three generations of alluvial fans and fluvial terraces (at ~53, ~25 and ~6 ka), this study documents (i) the topographic inheritance of the long-term (Myr) punctuated history of fault nucleation, propagation, and exhumation along the northern edge of Lut Block; (ii) the tectonic control on drainage network evolution, pediment formation, fluvial terraces, and alluvial-fan architecture; (iii) the minimum Holocene age of Quaternary dextral strike-slip faulting; and (iv) the evidence of Late Quaternary fault-related uplift localized along the different fault strands. The documented spatial and temporal constraints on the active dextral strike-slip tectonics at the northern edge of Lut Block provided new insights on the kinematic model for active faulting in Central Iran, which has been reinterpreted in an escape tectonic scenario