Regional and Occupational Wage Differences — Evidence from Workers in Norwegian Manufacturing Industries

Wage differentials are closely related to cost differentials among firms and to differentials in the standard of living among individuals. Affirmative action (laws) against sex discrimination in hourly pay, and the close link between the Norwegian Federation of Trade Unions and the Norwegian Labour Party have impacts on the collective wage bargaining and may work in the interest of low-income groups. During the last two decades the petroleum sector has become a significant factor in the industrial development in Norway. The high wages in the petroleum sector have to some extent been carried over to the rest of the economy (Dyrstad 1987). Other factors, however, have also had an impact. Some industries, such as the printing and publishing industries and car repair, have experienced growing markets. Foundries and shipyards have experienced declining markets from the early 1970’s till 1986. What are the resulting impacts of the factors influencing differentials on wage structures over time? In the present study the effects of these changes on the wage structure will be explored. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.