P. Boreham et al., LABOR MOVEMENTS AND WELFARE STATES - A RECONSIDERATION OF HOW TRADE-UNIONS INFLUENCE SOCIAL-CHANGE, Australian and New Zealand journal of sociology, 32(3), 1996, pp. 1-20
While it is commonly accepted that the organisation and mobilisation o
f labour movements has been critical to the development and nature of
welfare states across the OECD, considerable uncertainty remains as to
the specific mechanisms and means by which labour movements secure so
cial 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 densit
y 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 involve
ment in economic policy-making and union movement strength are conduci
ve to higher levels of welfare expenditure, the presence of left parti
es per se has no apparent effect on welfare effort.