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Factors Affecting Union Decline in 18 OECD Countries and their Implications for Labor Movement Reform

Boston College and Villanova University, USA

John B. Williamson

Boston College, USA, jbw{at}bc.edu

In recent years, researchers have given much attention to union density decline in industrialized countries. While several have asked whether this decline can be attributed to specific economic, social, or institutional causes, few have provided concrete suggestions about how cross-national studies in this genre can inform efforts that seek to reverse this decline in the United States. This study uses cross-sectional time-series analysis of a pooled sample of 18 OECD countries from 1980 to 2005 to consider the effect of the business cycle, domestic institutions, globalization, and strike activity on union density. We identify interaction with the variable `Traditional Union Density' and utilize findings on corporatism, collective bargaining, globalization, and inflation to make suggestions for those working to reverse union decline in the US.

Key Words: corporatism • cross-national • organized labor • union decline

International Journal of Comparative Sociology, Vol. 49, No. 6, 479-500 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/0020715208098614


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