Trade Unions Flashcards

1
Q

What is a trade union?

A

An organisation of many workers that bargain for higher wages and better working conditions

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2
Q

Why is a trade union a labour market imperfection?

A

Distorts competitive labour market outcomes

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3
Q

How do trade unions bargain?

A

Collectively

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4
Q

Collective bargaining

A

Trade union bargains on behalf of all workers within the union

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5
Q

‘Closed shop’ trade union

A

In a given profession, all workers are part of one trade union

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6
Q

What does a closed shop trade union become?

A

And monopoly supplier of labour

therefore controls labour supply at a given wage rate

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7
Q

Does the supply curve of labour tell us?

A

The quantity of workers who are willing and able to work at different wage rates

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8
Q

All workers below pink dot on supply curve would be….

A

Very satisfied with the wage rates of WTU as they were willing and able to work for lower wage rates

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9
Q

Beyond the pink dot on the supply curve…

A

If employer wanted to employ more workers, need to offer a higher wage rate in order to incentivise more people to work

The wage rate set by the trade union isn’t high enough

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10
Q

What happens to the supply curve beyond the pink dot?

A

Reverts back to the original

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11
Q

Trade union supply curve vs competitive outcomes: what happens to wages and employment?

A

Wages higher compare to competitive outcomes

Employment lower compared to competitors outcomes

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12
Q

Up until what point are workers getting a good wage and are employed?

A

Qtu

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13
Q

Up until QTU

A

Workers getting a good wage and they are employed

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14
Q

QTU to QC

A

Unemployed

People have lost their jobs - no benefit

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15
Q

What happens when trade unions bargain for higher wages?

A

Distorts sufficient labour market outcomes

Significant amount of people are losing out

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16
Q

Is the risk of an increased cost to firms?

A

Could lead to bankruptcy in the LR

17
Q

EVAL: in a monopsony labour market

A

Trade unions increased wages and employment

make outcomes more efficient

18
Q

EVAL: Strength of trade union power

A

greater % of union density, the greater the trade union power is, the greater the bargaining power the trade union has, to fight for higher wages.

19
Q

EVAL: how is the strength of trade union power measured?

A

Union density

20
Q

Eval: union density

A

Proportion of the workforce in a given profession that are part of a given trade union

21
Q

EVAL: success determined by union mark up

A

The bigger the union mark up, the bigger the success of the trade union

22
Q

EVAL: union mark up

A

Difference in wage between workers are getting who are part of the trade union in a given profession, compared to workers in similar profession who are not part of a trade union

23
Q

EVAL: Real-world evidence proving limited power of trade unions

A

Legislation

Striking

24
Q

EVAL: legislation

A

Strict since 1970s against trade unions

Closed shop trade unions = illegal

25
EVAL: why do closed shop trade unions being illegal reduce power of trade unions
Significantly reduces the power of each individual trade union. Limits union density because now workers have to be spread around different trade unions
26
EVAL: What do closed shop TU’s being made illegal affect?
Union density bc workers have to be spread around different trade unions
27
EVAL: striking
Legislations reduce how easy it is to strike
28
EVAL: types of legislation on striking
Ballots have to be done in secret for strike activity to happen Strikes only happen if at least 75% of members in TU agree to strike, otherwise illegal Strikes can only be made against own employed, limits power of strike
29
EVAL: reconstructing UK economy
Part time work in UK becoming more prevalent, so harder to organise TU activity
30
What do trade unions bargain for?
Higher wages | Better working conditions