Gender, Worker Representation and the Profitability of Firms in Germany

Arbeitspapier

Recent research has shown that the unexplained gender wage gap is smaller in establishments where a works council is present. The finding raises the question of whether establishment-level codetermination reduces gender wage discrimination or whether it reduces a wage differential that reflects productivity differences between men and women. This study addresses the question by examining the association between the share of female employees and profitability. Using data from manufacturing establishments, the empirical analysis suggests that there is a positive association between the share of women and profitability in establishments without a works council while there is no association in establishments with a works council. These results support the hypothesis that establishment-level codetermination reduces gender-specific wage discrimination.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: Research Papers in Economics ; No. 6/11

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Compensation Packages; Payment Methods ; Trade Unions: Objectives, Structure, and Effects ; Labor-Management Relations; Industrial Jurisprudence ; Labor Discrimination
• Subject: Women ; Discrimination ; Profitability ; Works Councils ; Piece Rates

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Jirjahn, Uwe
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Universität Trier, Fachbereich IV – Volkswirtschaftslehre
• (where): Trier
• (when): 2011

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/88656
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET