Trade and Strike Activity in the Postwar United States

This paper examines the effect of international trade on strike activity within the United States since World War II. Globalization may influence strike activity through its effects on the bargaining position of labor. Alternatively, if labor and management take their changed bargaining positions in...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: M. Rodwan Abouharb, Benjamin O. Fordham
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-10-01
Series:Social Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/9/11/198
Description
Summary:This paper examines the effect of international trade on strike activity within the United States since World War II. Globalization may influence strike activity through its effects on the bargaining position of labor. Alternatively, if labor and management take their changed bargaining positions into account, the rate of change in openness could create greater uncertainty in negotiations between them and lead to more strikes as a result. Empirical analysis of strike activity in the 50 states over this period supports the argument concerning uncertainty in the bargaining process. Import competition may also indirectly reduce strike activity by decreasing union density.
ISSN:2076-0760