European trade union policy and collective bargaining- mechanisms and levels of labour market regulation in comparison

Abstract

The trade unions' collective bargaining policy must safeguard the working conditions of all workers who are competing with each other on the labour market. Two basic, alternative mechanisms are available to this end: (1) the collective agreement may be signed at a level which covers all the relevant employees; or (2) several collective agreements may be signed at a lower level and coordinated so as to enable an equivalent settlement of working conditions for all the employees concerned.

This analysis examines the prospects for setting up a European collective bargaining system. It considers, first of all, the institutional and organisational factors that will influence the development of such a system. Secondly, it assesses which collective bargaining policy mechanisms and levels would, within the prevailing context, be most appropriate for a Europe-wide regulation of the labour market.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Banchflower, D.G. ; Freeman, R.B. ( 1992): Unions in the United States and OtherAdvanced OECD Countries , Industrial Relations, Vol. 31, pp. 56-77.

Buda, D. ( 1995): Auf dem Weg zu europäischen Arbeitsbeziehungen? Zur Perspektive des Sozialen Dialogs in der Europäischen Union, in: M. Mesch (ed.): Sozialpartnerschaft und Arbeitsbeziehungen in Europa, Vienna, pp. 289-333.

Keller, B. ( 1993): Arbeitsbeziehungssystem und Perspektiven europäischer Kollektivverhandlungen, in: W. Lecher ; H.-W Platzer (eds.): Europäische Union - Europäische Arbeitsbeziehungen?, Cologne, pp. 106-124.

Lecher, W. ( 1993): Perspektiven europäischer Kollektivverhandlungen , in: R. Bispinck ; W. Lecher (eds.): Tarifpolitik und Tarifsysteme in Europa, Cologne, pp. 401-420.

Müller-Jentsch, W. ( 1983): Versuch über die Tarifautonomie, Leviathan, Vol. 11, pp. 118-150.

Platzer, H.-W. ( 1992): Die Konstituierung europäischer Arbeitsbeziehungen , WSI-Mitteilungen, Vol. 45, pp. 779-788.

Streeck, W. ( 1995): Neo-Voluntarism: A New European Social Policy Regime? , European Law Journal, Vol. 1, pp. 31-59.

Teague, P. ; Grahl, J. ( 1992): Industrial Relations and European Integration , London.

Traxler, F. ( 1993): Business Associations and Labor Unions in Comparison: Theoretical Perspectives and Empirical Findings on Social Class, Collective Action and Associational Organizability, The British Journal of Sociology, Vol. 44, pp. 673-691.

10.

Traxler, F. ( 1994): Collective Bargaining: Levels and Coverage, in: OECD Employment Outlook, pp. 167-194.

11.

Traxler, F. ( 1995): Collective Bargaining and Industrial Change: A Case of Disorganization?, Forthcoming in European Sociological Review .

12.

Traxler, F. ; Schmitter, P.C. ( 1995): The Emerging Euro-Polity and Organized Interests , European Journal of International Relations, Vol. 1, pp. 191-218.

13.

Visser, J. ; Ebbinghaus, B. ( 1992): Making the Most of Diversity? European Integration and Transnational Organization of Labour, in: J. Greenwood ; J.R. Grote ; K. Ronit (eds.): Organized Interests and the European Community, London , pp. 206-237.