Labour movements and welfare states: a reconsideration of how trade unions influence social change

Abstract

While it is commonly accepted that the organisation and mobilisation of labour movements has been critical to the development and nature of welfare states across the OECD, considerable uncertainty remains as to the specific mechan isms and means by which labour movements secure social wage benefits. Emphasis in the evaluation of labour politics can be placed on the role of left and labour party control over government, on the effect of union movement strength as measured by union density rates or on the influence of union confederal involvement in policy-making. These party mobilisation, union density and political unionism theses are tested using pooled time-series cross- sectional data drawn from 15 OECD countries. The results indicate that while union involvement in economic policy-making and union movement strength are conducive to higher levels of welfare expenditure, the presence of left parties per se has no apparent effect on welfare effort.