Labor market power in Spain

Abstract This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of labor market power in Spain, focusing on the period from 1997 to 2021. Using detailed firm-level data from the Central de Balances Integrada (CBI) of the Bank of Spain, we estimate markdowns—a direct measure of labor market power—across various sectors, firm sizes, and regions. Our findings show that there was a notable decline in markdowns following the 2008 financial crisis. However, this trend has partially reversed in recent years, suggesting a resurgence of labor market power, particularly among larger firms. We find that firms with a higher proportion of temporary workers or female workers tend to have higher markdowns.