How trade unions increase welfare

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Donado, Alejandro; Waelde, Klaus
• 署名单位: University of Wurzburg; Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz; Universite Catholique Louvain
• 刊物名称: ECONOMIC JOURNAL
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0013-0133
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0297.2012.02513.x
• 发表日期: 2012
• 页码: 990-1009
• 关键词: UNITED-STATES; HEALTH

摘要

Historically, worker movements have played a crucial role in making workplaces safer. Firms traditionally oppose better health standards. According to our interpretation, workplace safety is costly for firms but increases the average health of workers and thereby the aggregate labour supply. A laissez faire approach in which firms set safety standards is suboptimal as workers are not fully informed of health risks associated with jobs. Safety standards set by better informed trade unions are output and welfare increasing.