Determinants of trade union membership in West Germany: evidence from micro data, 1980 - 2000

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An empirical analysis of various waves of the ALLBUS social survey shows that union density fell substantially in West Germany from 1980 to 2000. Such a negative trend can be observed for men and women and for different groups of the workforce. Repeated cross-sectional analyses suggest that a number of personal, occupational and attitudinal variables such as sex, occupational status, firm size and political orientation play a role in the unionization process, although the influence of some variables is not robust over time. While the results are consistent with cost-benefit considerations on the sides of employees and unions, our estimations do not support individualization theory and they cast some doubt on a crucial prediction from social custom theory. © Oxford University Press and the Society for the Advancement of Socio-Economics 2005. All rights reserved.
Original languageEnglish
JournalSocio-Economic Review
Volume3
Issue number1
Pages (from-to)1-24
Number of pages24
ISSN1475-1461
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 01.01.2005

    Research areas

  • Economics
  • Germany, Union density, Union membership

DOI