Towards a European Model of Industrial Relations?:Building on the First Report of the European Commission

For two decades now, a social dialogue has been in progress concerning industrial relations on a European level. The publication of the first Report of the European Commission on Industrial Relations marks a significant moment: the general acceptance that European Union policy is no longer merely attempting to harmonize national regimes in this area, but focusing instead on the pursuit of such basic aims as keeping workers healthy and safe, ensuring that their interests are represented, and providing some protection from economic uncertainty. In this book fifteen notable scholars and policymakers from six European countries explore the territory of industrial relations in Europe as it now stands. The important questions for which they provide in-depth materials include: How far has `Europeanisation' progressed in this field? In what ways does the monetary union affect industrial relations? To what extent is the evolving European policy a `pact' between the national employers and trade union organisations? What subtle variations persist in the theme of worker security versus labour market flexibility? What is the `new style' of collective bargaining? As a detailed analysis of current reality in the field of European industrial relations, this remarkable book is of great value to a wide range of interested parties, including academics, business people and their counsel, policymakers, government officials, and labour lawyers. These essays were originally presented as papers at a December 2000 conference in Modena, sponsored by the Italian Industrial Relations Research Association in collaboration with the European Commission and the Centre for International and Comparative Studies in Labour Law and Industrial Relations of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia.