POSTWAR UNIONIZATION IN 18 ADVANCED CAPITALIST COUNTRIES

Unionization follows strongly divergent patterns among OECD countries in the postwar period. I propose business cycle, demographic, and poli tical arguments to explain varying unionization over time. Centralized union movements that engage in corporatist bargaining and union disbu rsement of unemployment benefits suggest explanations of cross-nationa l variability in unionization. Analysis of annual data for 18 OECD cou ntries from 1950 to 1985 indicates strong positive effects of union ce ntralization and union disbursement of unemployment benefits on unioni zation. Union centralization also shapes the longitudinal effect of st rike activity on unionization while union disbursement of unemployment benefits positively influences longitudinal effects of unemployment a nd employment growth. Results suggest that labor movements flourish wh en they establish an institutional control over labor market outcomes beyond wage bargaining. When labor's institutional control is weak, wo rker militancy may encourage working class organization in trade union s.