Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Title: Worker Representativeses
Author-Name: Julian Budde
Author-Email: 
Author-Name: Thomas Dohmen
Author-Email: 
Author-Name: Simon Jäger
Author-Email: 
Author-Name: Simon Trenkle
Author-Email: 

Classification-JEL: J51, J53, P16
Keywords: worker representatives, works councils, linked administrative and survey data

Abstract: We study the descriptive and substantive representation of workers through worker representatives,
focusing on the selection of German works council representatives and their impact on worker outcomes.
Becoming a professional representative leads to substantial wage gains for the elected, concentrated
among blue-collar workers. Representatives are positively selected in terms of pre-election earnings and
person fixed effects. They are more likely to have undergone vocational training, show greater interest
in politics, and lean left politically compared to the employees they represent; blue-collar workers are
close to proportionally represented among works councilors. Drawing on a retirement-IV strategy and
event-study designs around council elections, we find that blue-collar representatives reduce involuntary
separations, consistent with blue-collar workers placing stronger emphasis on job security.

Note: 
Length: 77
Creation-Date: 2024-07
Revision-Date: 
File-URL: https://www.crctr224.de/research/discussion-papers/archive/dp581
File-Format: application/pdf
Handle: RePEc:bon:boncrc:CRCTR224_2024_581