CENTRALIZATION OF BARGAINING DECISIONS IN AMERICAN UNIONS

This paper examines the extent to which characteristics of local union affiliates, employers, and product markets influence centralization o f authority over collective bargaining in national unions in the Unite d States. Our results suggest that the proportion of the union workers in the jurisdiction organized by the union, the degree of unionizatio n in the industries, the degree of heterogeneity of industries that th e union organizes, and the size of local affiliates each influence the centralization of collective bargaining decisions.