The Economic Effects of Unions in Latin America: Teachers' Unions and Education in Argentina

51 Pages Posted: 19 Apr 2011

See all articles by Victoria Murillo

Victoria Murillo

Yale University - Department of Political Science

Mariano Tommasi

Universidad de San Andres - Department of Economics

Lucas Ronconi

University of Buenos Aires - CONICET

Juan Sanguinetti

University of San Andres, Centro de Estudios para el Desarrollo Institucional (CEDI)

Date Written: September 2002

Abstract

This paper considers the effects of trade unions on the education sector in Argentina. We have provided a substantial amount of new information and we have found useful preliminary results on some of the channels of union influence on the performance of this crucial sector. We find that those provinces where teacher unionism is fragmented, where union density is higher and where political relations with the governor are more conflictual, have more strikes (fewer class days). Based on estimates of education production functions both in this paper and elsewhere, we expect this to translate into lower student performance. We then find a number of weak conclusions related to the impact that unions have on several variables that affect students’ performance (i. e. , teachers’ tenure, job satisfaction, class size, education budget and teachers’ salaries). Reviewing these results, we conclude that the impact of unions on students’ performance depends on the channel and kind of political market where unions operate, but not on the existence of unions per se.

Suggested Citation

Murillo, Maria Victoria and Tommasi, Mariano and Ronconi, Lucas and Sanguinetti, Juan, The Economic Effects of Unions in Latin America: Teachers' Unions and Education in Argentina (September 2002). IDB Working Paper No. 171, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1814721 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1814721

Maria Victoria Murillo (Contact Author)

Yale University - Department of Political Science ( email )

Box 208269
New Haven, DC 06520-8269
United States

Mariano Tommasi

Universidad de San Andres - Department of Economics ( email )

Vito Dumas 284
Victoria, Buenos Aires B1644BID
Argentina
+5411-4725-7020 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://faculty.udesa.edu.ar/tommasi/index.htm

Lucas Ronconi

University of Buenos Aires - CONICET ( email )

Buenos Aires
Argentina

Juan Sanguinetti

University of San Andres, Centro de Estudios para el Desarrollo Institucional (CEDI) ( email )

Vita Dumas 284
(1644) Victoria, Pcia
Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires 1644
Argentina

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