The Bargaining Curve and its Determinants

Two firms, Firm X and Firm Y, are identical in every way (productivity, market conditions, etc.) and require the same number of employees. The only difference is that Firm X's wages are determined through a negotiation process with a powerful workers' union, while Firm Y unilaterally sets the minimum wage necessary to motivate its non-unionized employees to work effectively. Based on this information, what is the most likely relationship between the wages paid by the two firms?

Impact of Labor Legislation on Wage Negotiations

Relationship Between Wage Curves

The bargaining curve illustrates the wage level that a firm must offer to ensure its unionized employees put forth effort, making it conceptually identical to the standard wage-setting curve.

A country passes new legislation that significantly enhances the legal protections and organizational rights of workers' unions. Consider a firm where wages are determined by a negotiation process between the employer and a union. How is this new legislation most likely to affect the wage outcome for any given level of employment at this firm?