Employment-related Collective Bargaining in Germany: Annual Report 2001
The latest trends and developments on employment-related collective bargaining in Germany during the reference period are analysed in this study. We start with a quantitative overview on recent collective agreements and then describe the main types of measures negotiated in the newly concluded collective agreements.
Ausmaß und Bestimmungsgründe der Mitgliedschaft in Arbeitgeberverbänden: Eine empirische Untersuchung mit Firmendaten**
Nach einer knappen Darstellimg des theoretischen und empirischen For schungsstandes uber Arbeitgeberverbande in Deutschland werden in diesem Beitrag die Mitgliedschaft in Arbeitgeberverbanden und deren Bestimmungsgrunde unter sucht. Die Auswertung neuer Daten von uber 900 niedersachsischen Betrieben zeigt, das gut die Halfte der Industriebetriebe, in denen rund zwei Drittel aller Beschaf tigten arbeiten, Mitglied eines Arbeitgeberverbandes sind. Die Organisationswahr scheinlichkeit steigt mit der Grose und dem Alter des Betriebes, dem gewerkschaftli chen Organisationsgrad der Mitarbeiter lind dem Arbeitskampfrisiko, und sie geht mit dem Ausmas an internationalem Wettbewerb zuruck. After a brief discussion of the state of theoretical and empirical research on employers' associations in Germany, this paper investigates the membership of employers' associations and its determinants. Using a new set of data on more than 900 establishments in Lower Saxony, it is found that about 50 percent offirms in manufacturing industry (which employ about two-thirds of the total workforce) are members of an employers ' association. A firm's probability of being a member increases with the size and the age of the establishment, with union density among its employees, and with the risk of industrial disputes, whereas international competition makes membership less likely.
Thorium-induced Anatomical and Histopathological Changes in Liver of Swiss Mice
ObjectivePresent study is aimed to investigate the anatomical and histopathological changes in liver tissues of Swiss albino male mice, one month after intravenous administration of thorium (232Th; 4 and 40 mg/kg).MethodsSynchrotron X-ray micro-CT imaging, CD31 immuno-cytochemistry, hematoxylin & eosin staining and Periodic acid-Schiff staining were performed to study changes in liver anatomy, blood vessels/capillaries, histology and glycogen content of liver, respectively.ResultsSynchrotron X-ray micro-CT imaging of liver showed loss of blood vessels in mice treated with thorium (4 mg/kg), which was more prominent at higher dose of thorium (40 mg/kg). These thorium-induced changes in liver were correlated with the decrease in CD31 positive cells and loss of tissue architecture. A dose-dependent increase in glycogen content was also observed in the liver of thorium-treated mice.ConclusionOur results provide novel insight about the effects of thorium on liver, which may have significant implications in understanding the mechanism of thorium thorium-induced hepatotoxicity.