Monday, December 11, 2006
[IWS] INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS IN EUROPE 2006 [11 December 2006]
IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________
European Commission
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS IN EUROPE 2006 [11 December 2006]
http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/social_dialogue/docs/ir_report2006_en.pdf
[full-text, 167 pages]
The 2006 version of the bi-annual report outlines industrial relations trends at the national level (social partners as membership organisations, the interaction between collective bargaining and labour law, workplace representation) and at European level (European Social Dialogue, European labour law). Finally, it discusses trends at the labour market and the contribution of social dialogue to economic performance. The report is available only in English. Other language versions of the executive summary will follow.
Earlier reports - 2000, 2002, 2004 can be found at -
http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/social_dialogue/reports_en.htm
Contents
Foreword by the Commissioner....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Editorial............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 7
Executive summary................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Chapter 1: The social partners as membership organisations: an overview of forms and trends in the Member States.. ............................................................................... 19
1. Trade unions .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 19
2. Employers' organisations ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 32
3. Conclusion....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 38
Chapter 2: The evolving relationship between collective bargaining and law in the Member States................................ 41
1. Collective bargaining as a key component of the European tradition.................................................................. 41
2. Trends and emerging legal questions in the relationship between law and
collective agreements......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
3. Interpreting trends with regulatory schemes ....................................................................................................................................... 49
4. Conclusion....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 54
Chapter 3: Employee representation at the workplace in the Member States................................... 57
1. Representation: a specific type of employee participation................................................................................................. 57
2. More than ever part of the European social model...................................................................................................................... 59
3. Legal provisions of information and consultation........................................................................................................................ 60
4. Practices.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 68
5. Conclusion....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 76
Chapter 4: Social dialogue capacity-building initiatives in the new Member States, accession and candidate countries.. ..................................................................................... 79
1. Responding to the challenge of enlargement...................................................................................................................................... 79
2. Commission initiatives in the new Member States ...................................................................................................................... 79
3. Social partner initiatives with regard to enlargement................................................................................................................ 85
4. Initiatives by the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organisation ................ 86
5. Projects set up by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions........................................................................................... 87
6. Social dialogue capacity-building projects in the candidate countries and potential candidate countries in the Western Balkans............................. 88
7. Conclusion....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 89
Chapter 5: European social dialogue developments. ............................................................................................................................ 91
1. Introduction.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 91
2. Contributing to the Lisbon objectives through tripartite consultation................................................................. 93
3. Policy developments in bipartite social dialogue........................................................................................................................... 96
4. Strengthening working methods.......................................................................................................................................................................... 111
5. Conclusion....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 119
Chapter 6: Review of European Legislation 2004-06. ....................................................................................................................... 121
1. Introduction.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 121
2. Labour law....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 121
3. Health and safety of workers ................................................................................................................................................................................... 126
4. Equality rights............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 128
5. Free movement of workers and social security................................................................................................................................. 130
6. Conclusion: future perspectives ........................................................................................................................................................................... 132
Chapter 7: Trends and potential risks in the EU labour market. ................................................................................... 135
1. Driving forces: push factors and policy incentives...................................................................................................................... 135
2. Identifying structural drawbacks......................................................................................................................................................................... 144
3. Vulnerability: long-term traps for some groups.............................................................................................................................. 147
4. Conclusion....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 150
Chapter 8: Industrial relations and economic performance: an overview of research results. ........................................................................................ 151
1. Measurements and international comparisons of performance.................................................................................... 151
2. Competitiveness and economic performances: the place of industrial relations.................................... 153
3. Industrial relations in Europe and the new growth regime................................................................................................. 157
4. Conclusion....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 158
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
________________________________________________________________________
European Commission
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS IN EUROPE 2006 [11 December 2006]
http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/social_dialogue/docs/ir_report2006_en.pdf
[full-text, 167 pages]
The 2006 version of the bi-annual report outlines industrial relations trends at the national level (social partners as membership organisations, the interaction between collective bargaining and labour law, workplace representation) and at European level (European Social Dialogue, European labour law). Finally, it discusses trends at the labour market and the contribution of social dialogue to economic performance. The report is available only in English. Other language versions of the executive summary will follow.
Earlier reports - 2000, 2002, 2004 can be found at -
http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/social_dialogue/reports_en.htm
Contents
Foreword by the Commissioner....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Editorial............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 7
Executive summary................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Chapter 1: The social partners as membership organisations: an overview of forms and trends in the Member States.. ............................................................................... 19
1. Trade unions .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 19
2. Employers' organisations ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 32
3. Conclusion....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 38
Chapter 2: The evolving relationship between collective bargaining and law in the Member States................................ 41
1. Collective bargaining as a key component of the European tradition.................................................................. 41
2. Trends and emerging legal questions in the relationship between law and
collective agreements......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
3. Interpreting trends with regulatory schemes ....................................................................................................................................... 49
4. Conclusion....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 54
Chapter 3: Employee representation at the workplace in the Member States................................... 57
1. Representation: a specific type of employee participation................................................................................................. 57
2. More than ever part of the European social model...................................................................................................................... 59
3. Legal provisions of information and consultation........................................................................................................................ 60
4. Practices.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 68
5. Conclusion....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 76
Chapter 4: Social dialogue capacity-building initiatives in the new Member States, accession and candidate countries.. ..................................................................................... 79
1. Responding to the challenge of enlargement...................................................................................................................................... 79
2. Commission initiatives in the new Member States ...................................................................................................................... 79
3. Social partner initiatives with regard to enlargement................................................................................................................ 85
4. Initiatives by the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organisation ................ 86
5. Projects set up by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions........................................................................................... 87
6. Social dialogue capacity-building projects in the candidate countries and potential candidate countries in the Western Balkans............................. 88
7. Conclusion....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 89
Chapter 5: European social dialogue developments. ............................................................................................................................ 91
1. Introduction.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 91
2. Contributing to the Lisbon objectives through tripartite consultation................................................................. 93
3. Policy developments in bipartite social dialogue........................................................................................................................... 96
4. Strengthening working methods.......................................................................................................................................................................... 111
5. Conclusion....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 119
Chapter 6: Review of European Legislation 2004-06. ....................................................................................................................... 121
1. Introduction.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 121
2. Labour law....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 121
3. Health and safety of workers ................................................................................................................................................................................... 126
4. Equality rights............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 128
5. Free movement of workers and social security................................................................................................................................. 130
6. Conclusion: future perspectives ........................................................................................................................................................................... 132
Chapter 7: Trends and potential risks in the EU labour market. ................................................................................... 135
1. Driving forces: push factors and policy incentives...................................................................................................................... 135
2. Identifying structural drawbacks......................................................................................................................................................................... 144
3. Vulnerability: long-term traps for some groups.............................................................................................................................. 147
4. Conclusion....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 150
Chapter 8: Industrial relations and economic performance: an overview of research results. ........................................................................................ 151
1. Measurements and international comparisons of performance.................................................................................... 151
2. Competitiveness and economic performances: the place of industrial relations.................................... 153
3. Industrial relations in Europe and the new growth regime................................................................................................. 157
4. Conclusion....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 158
______________________________
This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.
Stuart Basefsky
Director, IWS News Bureau
Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell/ILR School
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (607) 255-2703
Fax: (607) 255-9641
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu
****************************************
# posted by SBasefsky : 6:08 AM
