Tag

Demonstrations and protests

Economic impact of political protests (strikes) on manufacturing firms : evidence from Bangladesh

By | Bangladesh, Case-study, India, Social dialogue

Abstract

Political protests in the form of strikes, locally known as hartal, remain quite common in the Indian subcontinent countries. Such a form of protests is associated with mass movement, intended to cause a total shutdown of economic activities and often results in coercion, violence, and damage to both public and private properties. Utilizing the World Bank Enterprise survey data of 2007 and 2013 of Bangladesh, this study examines the impacts of hartals on manufacturing firms. We find that political protests significantly increase costs for firms. Using flexible cost function based on factor analysis we see that the factor-neutral effect of strikes is positive and statistically significant, showing evidence of a reduction in firm productivity due to hartals. However, we did not find any evidence for systematic factor re-optimization by firms – in response to political strikes – suggesting that firms do not reallocate factor shares to tackle uncertain and irregular shocks like hartals.
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Developmental Relevance of Social Dialogue in Ghana

By | Ghana, Social dialogue

TUDCN has undertaken three national case studies in Ghana, Indonesia and Uruguay to analyse social dialogue within the countries in its various forms, with particular focus on the formalisation of these dialogues at different administrative levels and its contribution to development. The studies are authored by national trade union specialists and include examples of good practice as well as of limitations of the different contexts.

The Ghana case study puts forward the role of institutionalised social dialogue in increasing the minimum wage. It also highlights how other forms of social dialogue, including consultations and discussions, have contributed to the elaboration of the Poverty Reduction Strategy; of national employment, youth and social protection policies; and to the inclusion of social partners on the governing boards of public institutions.

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