Trade Union bargaining horizons in comparative perspective: the effects of encompassing organization, unemployment and the monetary regime on wage-pushfulness

Before wage-pushfulness can be empirically related to the organizational structure of trade unions, the framework conditions that determine their perceived set of options must be adequately conceptualized. Although rising union density tends to increase wage pressure, the greater 'encompassingness' of labour movements has a moderating effect. In addition, unemployment and the policy choices of the political authorities create incentives and constraints which shape union responses. The counteracting forces of density and concentration are presented in an interactive model based on data from 20 OECD countries for 1970-96. The article presents statistical evidence suggesting that wage-pushfulness depends on the specific constellation of density, concentration and the extent to which the political authorities are prepared to accommodate wage pressure.