Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP2764
Authors: Daron Acemoglu; Philippe Aghion; Giovanni L. Violante
Abstract: We argue that inequality and rapid deunionization are related, and that skill-biased technical change has been an important factor in deunionization as well as in the rise in inequality. Skill-biased technical change causes deunionization because it increases the outside option of skilled workers, undermining the coalition among skilled and unskilled worker in support of unions. Our approach implies that although deunionization is not the underlying cause of the increase in inequality, it amplifies the direct effect of skill-biased technical change by removing the wage compression imposed by unions. We also show that deunionization may happen inefficiently.
Keywords: deunionization; efficiency-enhancing unions; rent-seeking unions; skill-biased technical change; wage inequality
JEL Codes: J30; J50; O30
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Skill-biased technical change (J24) | Deunionization (J51) |
| Deunionization (J51) | Wage Inequality (J31) |
| Skill-biased technical change (J24) | Wage Inequality (J31) |
| Deunionization (J51) | Wage Compression (J31) |
| Wage Compression (J31) | Wage Inequality (J31) |