Fiscal Consolidation and Public Wages
Fiscal Consolidation and Public Wages

Author: Juin-Jen Chang

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2019-06-10

Total Pages: 52

ISBN-13: 1498316832

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A New Keynesian model with government production, public compensation, and unemployment is fit to U.S. data to study the macroeconomic and fiscal effects of public wage reductions. We find that accounting for the type of government spending is crucial for its macroeconomic implications. Although reductions in public wages and government purchases of goods have similar effects on total output and the fiscal balance, the former can raise private output slightly, in contrast to the substantial contractionary effects of the latter. In addition, the baseline estimation finds that exogenous public wage reductions decrease private wages. Model counterfactuals show that sufficiently rigid nominal private wages can reverse the response of private wages, as the rigidity dampens the labor reallocation effect from the public to private sector that exerts downward pressure on private wages.

Public Employment and Compensation Reform During Times of Fiscal Consolidation
Public Employment and Compensation Reform During Times of Fiscal Consolidation

Author: Lorenzo Forni

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2014-10-23

Total Pages: 23

ISBN-13: 1498350348

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This paper compiles and compares recent and past measures introduced to contain the public wage bill in a number of emerging and advanced economies to assess their effectiveness in bringing down expenditure in a sustained way. In the aftermath of the Great Recession a number of countries have approved measures on the wage bill as part of fiscal consolidation efforts. These recent episodes are compared to past cases implemented in advanced economies over the period 1979–2009. Findings suggest that public wage bill consolidation episodes pre and post 2009 are similar in many respects. Moreover, typically countries that were able to achieve more sustained reductions in the wage bill have implemented to larger extent structural measures, and/or these measures were accompanied with substantial social dialogue and consensus.

Fiscal Consolidation and Public Wages
Fiscal Consolidation and Public Wages

Author: Juin-Jen Chang

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2019-06-10

Total Pages: 52

ISBN-13: 1498320236

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A New Keynesian model with government production, public compensation, and unemployment is fit to U.S. data to study the macroeconomic and fiscal effects of public wage reductions. We find that accounting for the type of government spending is crucial for its macroeconomic implications. Although reductions in public wages and government purchases of goods have similar effects on total output and the fiscal balance, the former can raise private output slightly, in contrast to the substantial contractionary effects of the latter. In addition, the baseline estimation finds that exogenous public wage reductions decrease private wages. Model counterfactuals show that sufficiently rigid nominal private wages can reverse the response of private wages, as the rigidity dampens the labor reallocation effect from the public to private sector that exerts downward pressure on private wages.

The Composition of Fiscal Consolidation Matters
The Composition of Fiscal Consolidation Matters

Author: Mr.Alejandro D. Guerson

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2013-10-04

Total Pages: 30

ISBN-13: 1484305221

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This paper evaluates policy alternatives to achieve permanent fiscal consolidation in Hungary, based on a general equilibrium calibration. The main finding is that the composition of the consolidation, as determined by the mix of revenue and expenditure measures, has important implications for growth, employment, investment, and other key macroeconomic variables. A reduction in current expenditures yields the smallest GDP contraction in the short term and can increase output in the long term by stimulating labor participation and private investment. On the other end of the spectrum, a consolidation of government investment and corporate taxes are the most costly, as disincentives for private investment result in protracted declines in GDP that compound over time to GDP losses that are multiple times the initial size of the consolidation.

Public Sector Compensation in Times of Austerity
Public Sector Compensation in Times of Austerity

Author: OECD

Publisher: OECD Publishing

Published: 2012-11-15

Total Pages: 148

ISBN-13: 9264177752

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This report argues that any new approaches to public sector pay must help to: enhance external competitiveness of salaries; promote internal equity throughout the public sector; reflect the values of public organisations; and align compensation with government’s core strategic objectives.

An Empirical Analysis of Fiscal Adjustments
An Empirical Analysis of Fiscal Adjustments

Author: Mr.C. John McDermott

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 1996-06-01

Total Pages: 26

ISBN-13: 1451965958

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This study uses the fiscal expansion and consolidation experiences of the industrial countries over the period 1970 to 1995 to examine the interplay between fiscal adjustments and economic performance. A key finding is that fiscal consolidation need not trigger an economic slowdown. Fiscal consolidation that concentrates on the expenditure side, and especially on transfers and government wages, is more likely to succeed in reducing the public debt ratio than tax-based consolidation. Also, the greater the magnitude of the fiscal consolidation, the more likely it is to succeed in reducing the debt ratio.

Managing Government Compensation and Employment - Institutions, Policies, and Reform Challenges
Managing Government Compensation and Employment - Institutions, Policies, and Reform Challenges

Author: International Monetary Fund. Fiscal Affairs Dept.

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2016-08-04

Total Pages: 99

ISBN-13: 1498345778

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Government compensation and employment policies are important for the efficient delivery of public services which are crucial for the functioning of economies and the general prosperity of societies. On average, spending on the wage bill absorbs around one-fifth of total spending. Cross-country variation in wage spending reflects, in part, national choices about the government’s role in priority sectors, as well as variations in the level of economic development and resource constraints.

The Fiscal and Macroeconomic Effects of Government Wages and Employment Reform
The Fiscal and Macroeconomic Effects of Government Wages and Employment Reform

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 2016

Total Pages: 45

ISBN-13: 9789289923392

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This paper examines the overall macroeconomic impact arising from reform in government wages and employment, at times of fiscal consolidation. Reform of these two components of the government wage bill appeared necessary for containing the deterioration of the public finances in several EU countries, as a consequence of the financial crisis. Such reforms entailed in some instances, but not always, the implementation of cost-cutting measures affecting the government wage bill, as part of broader consolidation packages that typically hinged more heavily on other fiscal instruments, like public investment. While such measures have adverse short-term macroeconomic effects, public wage bill restraining policy changes present the idiosyncrasy that they can yield medium- to longer-term benefits due to possible competitiveness and efficiency gains through their impact on labour market dynamics. This paper provides some evidence of such medium- to long-run effects, based on a wealth of micro and macro data in the euro area and the EU. It concludes that appropriately designed government wage bill moderation could indeed produce positive dividends to the economy, which depend on certain country-specific conditions. These gains can be reinforced by relevant fiscal-structural reforms.