Evolution or revolution? The impact of unions on workplace performance in Britain and France

Abstract

We use nationally representative workplace surveys to examine the relationship between unionization and workplace financial performance in Britain and France. We find that union bargaining is detrimental to workplace performance in both countries. However, in Britain the effect is confined to the declining proportion of unionized workplaces where there is active collective bargaining. In the French case, the effect is confined to the minority of cases where unions have high density and to unions with a reputation for militancy.