Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/75746 
Year of Publication: 
2001
Series/Report no.: 
CESifo Working Paper No. 514
Publisher: 
Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo), Munich
Abstract: 
We show in a union-bargaining model that a decrease in the unemployment benefit level increases not only equilibrium employment, but also nominal wage flexibility, and thus reduces employment variations in the case of nominal shocks. Long-term wage contracts lead to highter expected real wages and hence higher expected unemployment than short-term contracts. Therefore lower benefits reduce the expected utility gross of contract costs of a union member more with long-term than with short-term contracts and thus create an incentive for shorter contracts. Incentives for employers work in the same direction. Lower taxes associated with lower benefits also tend to make short-term contracts more attractive.
Subjects: 
Nominal wage flexibility
contracts length
macroeconomic fluctuations
unemployment benefits
Document Type: 
Working Paper
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