The role of wage bargaining institutions in the Phillips curve Flattening

We investigate the role of collective wage bargaining institutions on the relationship between wage growth and unemployment, that is, the wage Phillips curve. Based on a labour market model with frictions and collective bargaining, we hypothesize that when the economy deteriorates, wages fall less in parts of the economy covered by collective wage agreements negotiated by trade unions at a centralized level than in economies with bargaining fully decentralized within companies. We move from theory to empirical analysis using regional NUTS-2 data from European countries, which show evidence that the wage Phillips curve flattens when unemployment is high — and gets steeper when the labor market is overheated —, in economies where the sectoral or cross-sectoral levels play a role in the collective wage bargaining. We also find that from a level of centralization intermediate between the company and the sector levels, the wage Phillips curve is twice as flat.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Collective bargaining and macroeconomic performance

Cette thèse étudie le lien entre la structure des négociations collectives et la performance macroéconomique. Les chapitres 1 et 2 étudient les systèmes de négociation collective en considérant leurs interactions avec leur environnement institutionnel. Le chapitre 1 analyse le rôle des systèmes de négociation collective sur le lien entre la croissance des salaires et le taux de chômage, c’est-à-dire la courbe de Phillips des salaires, qui peut avoir des implications sur la faisabilité des objectifs de politique monétaire. Le chapitre 2 étudie théoriquement comment le système de négociation collective influence les résultats des réformes de la législation sur la protection de l'emploi. Les chapitres 3 et 4 étudient l'effet macroéconomique des réformes des systèmes de négociation collective. Le chapitre 3 renseigne sur le lien entre la décentralisation des négociations collectives et la croissance économique. Enfin, le chapitre 4 questionne le timing des réformes qui visent à modifier l’institution des négociations collectives, en analysant leurs effets sur l'emploi selon la position sur le cycle économique lors de leur mise en œuvre.This thesis investigates the link between the structure of collective bargaining and the macroeconomic performance. Chapters 1 and 2 study collective bargaining systems by considering their interactions with their institutional environment. Chapter 1 analyzes the role of collective bargaining systems on the link between wage growth and the unemployment rate, i.e. the wage Phillips curve, which may have implications for the feasibility of monetary policy objectives. Chapter 2 examines theoretically how the collective bargaining system influences the outcomes of reforms modifying the employment protection legislation. Chapters 3 and 4 study the macroeconomic effect of reforms to collective bargaining systems. Chapter 3 provides evidence on the link between the decentralization of collective bargaining and economic growth. Finally, chapter 4 questions the timing of reforms aimed at changing the institution of collective bargaining, analyzing their effects on employment according to the position on the economic cycle when they are implemented

Négociations collectives et performance macroéconomique

This thesis investigates the link between the structure of collective bargaining and the macroeconomic performance. Chapters 1 and 2 study collective bargaining systems by considering their interactions with their institutional environment. Chapter 1 analyzes the role of collective bargaining systems on the link between wage growth and the unemployment rate, i.e. the wage Phillips curve, which may have implications for the feasibility of monetary policy objectives. Chapter 2 examines theoretically how the collective bargaining system influences the outcomes of reforms modifying the employment protection legislation. Chapters 3 and 4 study the macroeconomic effect of reforms to collective bargaining systems. Chapter 3 provides evidence on the link between the decentralization of collective bargaining and economic growth. Finally, chapter 4 questions the timing of reforms aimed at changing the institution of collective bargaining, analyzing their effects on employment according to the position on the economic cycle when they are implemented.Cette thèse étudie le lien entre la structure des négociations collectives et la performance macroéconomique. Les chapitres 1 et 2 étudient les systèmes de négociation collective en considérant leurs interactions avec leur environnement institutionnel. Le chapitre 1 analyse le rôle des systèmes de négociation collective sur le lien entre la croissance des salaires et le taux de chômage, c’est-à-dire la courbe de Phillips des salaires, qui peut avoir des implications sur la faisabilité des objectifs de politique monétaire. Le chapitre 2 étudie théoriquement comment le système de négociation collective influence les résultats des réformes de la législation sur la protection de l'emploi. Les chapitres 3 et 4 étudient l'effet macroéconomique des réformes des systèmes de négociation collective. Le chapitre 3 renseigne sur le lien entre la décentralisation des négociations collectives et la croissance économique. Enfin, le chapitre 4 questionne le timing des réformes qui visent à modifier l’institution des négociations collectives, en analysant leurs effets sur l'emploi selon la position sur le cycle économique lors de leur mise en œuvre

Employment Protection Reform in European Labor Markets: The Collective Bargaining Regime Matters

International audiencePolicy advisers repeatedly call on Western European countries to reform their employment protection legislation (EPL) by switching to a layoff tax model of unemployment insurance (UI) funding. This new design, partly based on the existing “experience-rating” (ER) system in the U.S., should induce firms to internalize layoff fiscal costs and hence reduce unemployment. However, its success remains uncertain in economies with a collective wage-setting system, as do those of many Western European countries. Using a matching model with endogenous job destruction, we provide an ex-ante evaluation of this policy reform’s effects on labor market outcomes and aggregate welfare in firm-level and sector-level bargaining economies. Our numerical analyses yield two main results. First, compared to simply increasing firing/dismissal costs, implementing an ER system improves labor market outcomes in both types of economies. Second, the design of the reform has to be adapted to the level of wage bargaining in the economy. Because firms can adjust most of the terms and conditions of employment (including wages) in decentralized negotiations, adding ER to existing EPL yields the largest reduction in unemployment under firm-level bargaining, while with sector-level bargaining, ER is better implemented with a relaxation of existing EPL. However, if the aim is to increase aggregate welfare, it is better under both bargaining regimes to relax existing EPL when implementing ER