Analyses & Alternatives (분석과 대안)

Korea Consensus Institute(KCI) (사단법인 코리아컨센서스연구원)
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Income Inequality and Labour Union in the Era of Globalization: Examining Interaction Effects with Institutional and Political Contexts

세계화 시대의 소득 불평등과 노동조합: 제도적·정치적 맥락과의 상호작용 효과를 중심으로

  • Youngho Shin (Department of Political Science, Sogang University) ;
  • Youngho Cho (Department of Political Science, Sogang University)
  • 신영호 (서강대학교) ;
  • 조영호 (서강대학교)
  • Received : 2024.09.22
  • Accepted : 2024.10.12
  • Published : 2024.10.31
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Abstract

Labour unions have traditionally been regarded as a key actor in improving income inequality. However, recent studies have revealed that the relationship between labour unions and income inequality is not straightforward but it varies depending on various institutional and political contexts. This study focuses on institutions of collective bargaining and government partisanship as major conditions affecting the income inequality reduction effect of labour unions and attempts an empirical analysis. In particular, we systematically analyzed the effects of union density on income inequality in terms of market income and disposable income, using panel data from OECD countries of the period 1990~2019 when the Cold War ended and globalization intensified. The analytical results show that the effect of unions on reducing income inequality was more pronounced in disposable income than in market income, and the effect was conditional. The union's effects varied depending on the degree of centralization of collective bargaining rather than the coordination mechanism. Contrary to previous studies, the union's impact was evidenced in centrist governments rather than left-wing governments. These findings indicates that in the era of globalization, labour unions are adopting more flexible political strategies, moving away from their traditional relationship with left-wing parties. These results suggests that unions' political and economic roles shows both continuity and change in the era of rising inequality.

노동조합은 전통적으로 소득 불평등을 개선하는 주요 행위자로 여겨져 왔다. 그러나 최근 연구들은 노동조합과 소득 불평등 간의 관계가 단순하지 않으며, 다양한 제도적·정치적 맥락에 따라 달라질 수 있음을 주장하였다. 본 연구는 노동조합의 소득 불평등 완화 효과에 영향을 미치는 주요 조건으로 단체교섭의 제도적 특성과 정부의 정파성에 주목하고, 이에 대한 경험적 분석을 시도한다. 특히 세계화의 흐름이 본격적으로 강화된 냉전 이후 1990~2019년 OECD 국가들의 패널 데이터를 활용하여 노동조합 조직률이 소득 불평등에 미치는 영향을 시장소득과 처분가능소득의 측면에서 체계적으로 분석하였다. 분석 결과, 노조가 소득 불평등을 완화하는 효과는 시장소득보다 처분가능소득에서 뚜렷하게 나타났고, 그 효과는 조건적이었다. 노조의 효과는 조정 메커니즘 보다 단체교섭의 중앙집중화 정도에 따라 달랐다. 선행연구와 달리 정치적 조건에서 노조의 효과는 좌파 정부가 아닌 중도 정부에서 나타났고, 이는 노조가 세계화 시대에 전략적으로 행동함을 의미한다. 이와 같은 결과는 불평등이 심화되는 시기에 노조의 정치경제적 역할이 지속과 변화를 동시에 보여주고 있음을 시사한다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

이 논문 (또는 저서)은 2022년 대한민국 교육부와 한국연구재단의 지원을 받아 수행된 연구임 (NRF-2022S1A3A2A02090384).

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