Bargaining Power of Labor Force

Bargaining Power of Labor Force

One resource that did not find itself in the position of abundance was labor force. This drop in supply of labor paired with the same amount of land that required working created an increased demand for labor. In turn this provided the labor force with more bargaining power.

Significance

This increase in bargaining power meant that the working class could leverage the scarcity of labor to negotiate more favorable working arrangements and higher wages. This is indicative of the wider trend of the Black Death having positive economic effects for the lower classes.

About this Document

This source describes an agreement between laborers and their overseer made in 1349. The document says that the laborers

"expressed their intention of leaving unless Brother Nicholas de Upton, then abbot and lord of the manor, made a new agreement with them and other incoming tenants."

This document draws a direct connection between the fact that there were "scarcely two tenants" and the success of this negotiation.