The collective voice of unions and workplace training in Italy: New insights from mixed methods

Using a three-phase approach that combines quantitative (pooled OLS, fixed effects and IV) with qualitative (semi-structured interviews) analyses, we find that in Italy, workplace unions are more likely to enhance training when they sign a firm-level agreement and when they can get access to external funds for financing. We also identify three channels: what we call a 'maturation effect', double-track communication and watch-dog function. We argue that these results are consistent with the idea that the impact of workplace unions on training depends on the empowerment of its collective voice within an institutional framework that does not fit either of the standard models provided by collective and liberal market economies. We thank Mirella Damiani and Christine Trampusch and the participants to the workshop on ‘Skill mismatch: measurement issues and consequences for innovative and inclusive societies’ (University of Torino), to the conference on ‘Reassessment and Perspectives of Labor Policies’ (University of Roma ‘Roma Tre’), the SISEC Conference (Catholic University of Milan and University of Brescia), the Conference in Memory of Marco Biagi (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia), the Workshop on Labor Economics (University of Trier), the SASE Conference (Doshisha University, Kyoto) and to the seminars held at LISER (Esch-sur-Alzette) and at the Department of Economics and Statistics of the University of Torino for helpful comments and suggestions. The University of Torino and Compagnia di San Paolo Bank Foundation with projects ‘Skill mismatch: measurement issues and consequences for innovative and inclusive societies’ and ‘Productivity, welfare and decentralization’ are kindly acknowledged for financial support. We also thank the National Institute for Public Policy Analysis INAPP for data support. The opinions expressed here reflect only the authors’ views and not their institutions’. The INAPP is not responsible for any use that can be made of the present results. The article results from an equal effort by all its authors, to whom it should be attributed evenly. The other usual disclaimers apply.