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The Review of Economics and Statistics Vol. 41 No. 1 1959

On Union Rivalries and the Minimum Differentiation of Wage Patterns

Benson Soffer

Abstract

T HE purpose of this paper is to reformulate the theory of pattern bargaining to enable it to account for variations among the results of wage bargaining within a given wage pattern. We shall start with an explanation of the inadequacy of the existing wage-pattern theory in view of the increased importance of variations within wage patterns. Next we shall introduce our proposed extension of the theory, the concept of minimum differentiation, which we shall illustrate with the aid of a specific example the differentiation of a wage pattern established by cost-of-living escalation. Finally, we shall test our hypotheses by comparing recent interindustry wage increases in the so-called auto-steel orbit.

DOI
10.2307/1925459
Volume
41
Issue
1
Pages
53
Sources
openalex crossref

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