economic performance and strike activity : a macroeconomic model of eight countries, 1955-1981
abstract
after having explored the articles by orley ashenfelter and
george johnson, and martin paldam and peter pederson, it was
discovered that there existed a strong relationship between
strike activity and economic performance, but, how and to
what extent that relationship existed was unknown., the original
belief was that there existed a positive relationship
between economic performance and strike activity. that was
sufficient from a philosophical point of view, to allow for
a more comprehensive study of the relationship.
it was quickly learned that it would be an impossible task,
given all the econometric limitations, to prove that this
relationship existed. however, it was soon discovered that
strikes result, in principle, from a breakdown in the collective
bargaining process, an impass at the negotiation stage.
since it was also known, that both sides prepare vast amounts
of information during the pre-negotiation stage, it was assumed
that when labour and management, or labour, management and
government, as the case may be, enter into the collective
bargaining process they utilize accumulated economic information
as a basis for offers and counter-offers. given the
nature of these negotiations, particularly, in canada, there would eventually be an impasse, and a resulting strike or
lockout.
therefore, it was concluded that the economic variables
utilized in the pre-negotiation stage of the collective bargaining
process would be related, in some way, to the level
of industrial conflict. thus, the development of this study
was initiated. the study would explore the relationship
between economic performance and strike activity through the
use of an econometric model, as well as an analysis of the
historical development of industrial relations institutions
in each of the eight countries that will be analysed in this
study i australia, austria, canada, japan, sweden, the united
states, the united kingdom, and west germany. later in the
study, an entire chapter will be devoted strictly to canada.
collections
- retrospective theses [1604]