We study the endogenous determination of contracts in a unionized oligopoly and the welfare implications thereof. Alternative contracts specify the sequencing in the selection of R&D and wages. They can be classified as 'fixed' when the unions set wages before the firms make their R&D decisions...

This paper studies the relationship between unionization and innovation activity. Under a unionized labour market, we find that when R&D spillovers are relatively low (high), cooperative, as well as non-cooperative R&D is a strategic substitute (complement). Furthermore, irrespective of the...