Series: Occasional Papers. 0302.
Author: Mario Izquierdo, Esther Moral and Alberto Urtasun.
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Abstract
This paper analyses the effects of the structure of collective bargaining on its main results. To do this it uses the individual information on collective agreements signed in Spain between 1990 and 2001, drawn from the official statistics on collective bargaining agreements compiled by the Spanish Ministry of Labour and Social Security. The empirical analysis conducted shows that the bargaining level has a significant effect both on wage increases and on the distribution of the wage levels established in collective agreements. At an intermediate bargaining level, that is to say at the provincial industry level, larger wage increases are usually seen than those agreed both at the more centralised (i.e. national industry) and more decentralised (company) levels. Furthermore, bargaining at higher than company levels considerably reduces wage differentials between job categories.