Inequalities and the world of work: what contribution of industrial relations and social dialogue?

A particular attention will be paid to the contribution of social partners and social dialogue to striking a renewed balance between flexibility and security for both the employers and the workers. All European countries have put in place a number of labour market reforms with the emergence of new forms of employment contracts that brought more flexibility but also less stability in the employment relationship. The balance between flexibility and security has thus evolved. Working conditions have also been affected. Collective bargaining coverage, mechanisms and contents have also been progressively transformed along the changes in the labour market, in working conditions and the evolving economic and social context. The roles of actors, in particular of workers' and employers' representatives, have also been challenged and transformed. Based upon these trends, the purpose of the project will be to document best practices in the way social dialogue contributes to achieving the best possible outcomes in the balance between flexibility and security. For instance, what are the examples of social partner involvement in long term transformations with optimal outcomes in terms of flexibility-security balance and inequality and vulnerability at work? For doing so, significant research will be carried out to further explore the link between social dialogue indicators (collective bargaining coverage, trade union density, collective agreements, but also tripartite consultations etc.), social dialogue mechanisms (levels of collective bargaining/collective agreements, extension mechanisms, renewal of collective agreements etc.) and indicators of inequalities in the world of work. The key aim of this project will be to identify best practices that may have emerged over most recent years. What countries did succeed to carry out the necessary reforms without generating further inequalities? What type of industrial relations systems seem to be more performing to reach such outcome? What type of policy measures, institutions, and actors do play a determinant role, and in particular the social partners and social dialogue? This project will also evaluate the outcome for –and potential role of– social partners and social dialogue, and directly contribute to the work that the European Commission is doing on industrial relations, on increasing the role of social partners in major policies and reforms as part of the European Semester and on improving the contribution of social dialogue to socio-economic outcomes. On the basis of such a comparative and comprehensive assessment of major developments at national level, policy issues will be discussed with the aim to carefully identify ways to develop social dialogue that will help to carry out the necessary transformations without generating further inequalities and social exclusion.

Project symbol

RER/16/52/EUR

Admin unit

INWORK

Start date

01/01/2016

End date

31/03/2017

Total allocation

211154

Total expenditure

Status

Closed

207803

Development Partners

European Commission, DG Employment and Social Affairs

Country/Countries

Europe and Central Asia - regional

Outcomes

More and better jobs for inclusive growth and improved youth employment prospects