Abstract Collective bargaining institutions are correlated with better population health. However, there are still major gaps in our understanding regarding the impact of collective bargaining on health inequalities, particularly between labour market ‘insiders’ and ‘outsiders’. In this study, we investigate the effect of collective bargaining coverage on individuals’ self-rated health, and whether the impact varies according to labour market status. We use four waves of the European Values Survey (1981–2018) and three-level nested random intercept models across 33 OECD and European countries (N = 66 301). We find that stronger and more inclusive collective bargaining institutions reduce health inequalities between the unemployed and the employed by disproportionately improving the health of the unemployed. This study implies that targeting the political institutions that shape the distribution of power and resources is important for reducing health inequalities. https://academic.oup.com/ser/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ser/mwac052/6680510?guestAccessKey=916d7d89-d95a-42b9-9638-841152fb904c Get a free copy of Social Determinants of Health: The Canadian Facts, 2nd edition at http://thecanadianfacts.org Join 1200+ health leaders on the SDOH Listserv at https://listserv.yorku.ca/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=SDOH&A=1 Dennis Raphael, PhD Professor of Health Policy and Management York University 4700 Keele Street Strong College, Room 334 Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3 416-736-2100, ext. 22054 email: [log in to unmask] Website: http://health.info.yorku.ca/health-profiles/index.php?mid=162284 Of interest: The Politics of Health in the Canadian Welfare State https://canadianscholars.ca/book/the-politics-of-health-in-the-canadian-welfare-state/ Poverty in Canada, 3rd edition, Forewords by Cathy Crowe, Rob Ranier and Jack Layton https://canadianscholars.ca/book/poverty-in-canada-d3408482-0caa-489a-8a76-7faf7587d00a/ Staying Alive: Critical Perspectives on Health, Illness, and Health Care, 3rd edition Foreword by Gary Teeple https://canadianscholars.ca/book/staying-alive/ Social Determinants of Health: Canadian Perspectives, 3rd edition Forewords by Michael Butler and Maude Barlow, Carolyn Bennett and Roy Romanow https://canadianscholars.ca/book/social-determinants-of-health-3rd-edition/ Immigration, Public Policy, and Health: Newcomer Experiences in Developed Nations https://canadianscholars.ca/book/immigration-public-policy-and-health/ About Canada: Health and Illness, 2nd edition https://fernwoodpublishing.ca/book/about-canada-health-and-illness Tackling Health Inequalities: Lessons from International Experiences Foreword by Alex Scott-Samuel https://canadianscholars.ca/book/tackling-health-inequalities/ Health Promotion and Quality of Life in Canada: Essential Readings https://canadianscholars.ca/book/health-promotion-and-quality-of-life-in-canada/ See a presentation! The Political Economy of Health Inequalities. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NCTYqAub8g Also, presentation at the University of Toronto on how Canada stacks up again other nations in providing citizens with economic and social security. http://vimeo.com/33346501 See what Jack Layton had to say about my books! http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/04/10/cv-election-ndp-layton-platform.html at 27:20 To leave, manage or join list: https://listserv.yorku.ca/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=sdoh&A=1