Summaries
The internal market and EMU without a Euro pean social policy?
L. van Outrive
This article analyses the current state of affairs in European social policy-making. The Euro pean Community has not been able to reduce unemployment and to implement a set of social regulations for the protection of the interests of employees throughout the Community. There are a number of causes that contribute to this ‘European social deficit’: the absence of effi cient social policy making procedures (unanimi ty rule), the democratic deficit, the gap created by the internationalisation of the economy and the decentralisation of collective bargaining and the neo-liberal EC approach towards social po licy: a free internal market will lead to economic growth, employment and welfare. The Treaty of Maastricht provides for more workable proce dures and stimulates the development of collec tive bargaining on a European level. On the other hand, the convergence criteria put for ward for the EMU brings the social and em ployment policy of member states under pres sure. The conclusions underline that new socie tal problems such as the dual society and the problematic relation between economic growth and quality of (working) life demand a radical change in European social policy orientations. Of particular importance is the redistribution of employment and the disconnection between in come and work.
From the neo-liberal decade to beyond Maas tricht: The future of industrial relations in Europe
C.J. Crouch
There is a decline in the significance of
neo-corporatist arrangements in Western Europe. Most, noteworthy shown by the dissolution of the Swedish model. One of reasons is the growing importance of industrial relations at company-level and the discovery of the advan tages of Japanese management style. But not everywhere has decentralisation changed the system. In countries like Germany and Austria, unions managed much better to respond to the new challenges. Here the system remained largely unchanged. Paradoxically countries like France and Spain have made attempts in the recent past to introduce neo-corporatist institu tions. So while in the north the neo-corporatist arrangements are getting weaker, attempts are made in the south to copy these arrangements. What will be the impact of the European single market on the industrial relations systems? The social policy protocol that is part of the ‘Maas tricht’ deal aims at some convergence. However, it seems more likely that it will produce a revised diversity and hence different types of the industrial relations model will develop. A first model with employer-led, relatively decentrali zed neo-corporatist arrangements is typical of states like Germany and the Benelux. Secondly there are the more centralized labour-domina ted neo-corporatist states like Denmark (and possible future members Sweden and Norway); they may evolve in the direction of the first model. The UK can be found in the third group with France and parts of Italy and Spain. Here implementing high labour and social standards wifi prove probably too costly. As it will be for the fourth group of employer dominated systems in the rest of southern Europe and the former East Germany. A convergence of the industrial relations system to a single European model is very unlikely. Those countries with a legacy of neo-corporatism are unlikely to surrender the
Summaries
advantages it can bring to national co-ordina tion. While, given the conditions of late 20th century capitalism, those lacking this legacy will be unable to acquire it.
The quality of working life between the Single European Market & national autonomy: 1970- 2000
H.G. de Gier
This article deals with the development of la bour policies with respect to working conditions in EC-countries between 1970-2000 from a so cio-economic angel. The first part describes initiatives to modernize the existing legal frame works at the national level during the seventies and eighties. Then the evolution of EC-initiati- ves regarding health and safety at work is examined in terms of a Europeanization of labour policy and subsequently related to the earlier national reforms. The third and last part of the article points out a plausible pathway of the European labour policy after the full intro duction of the Single European Market from the 1st of January 1993 onwards. The main conclu sion is that because of internal developments in the EC and apart from this socio-economic de velopments the national policy level will get a revival. But different from the seventies and early eighties the role of national governments will be less steering and more supportive and facilitative to developments into the improve ment of the quality of working life in sectors and big firms.
The dynamic in the Belgian prevention system. Belgian policy on health and safety at work in the light of the European framework directive
J. Van de Kerckhove
The European framework directive of 12.06.89 on health and safety at work is an attempt to introduce a common self-regulating and pro-ac tive safety policy in the various EEC countries. The implementation of this directive caused no problems in Belgium, mainly because a fairly similar prevention system had been developed here since the Prevention Decree of 1975. This policy system was functioning well and a dyna mic was developing whereby results are regular
ly achieved in commercial practice which are better than those provided by the legal frame work. This progressive dynamic is the result of a complex collection of factors: a system of consultation at various levels, based on long tradition and with a strong union presence. Since 1975 there has also been a marked em phasis on the employer’s responsibility, and the presence of properly trained independent ex perts is required. Finally the impulse provided by a system of regular inspections should not be ignored. These additional boundary conditions might be of crucial importance if a self-regula ting system is also to work pro-actively. One might also ask whether the European framework directive offers sufficient guarantees to bring about a sufficiently pro-active dynamic in the self-regulating prevention system in the various contries and traditions.
Differences in labour market positions of women in Europa; the role of welfare states
J. Plantenga en A. van Doorne-Huiskes In this article we examine the interplay of gen der and welfare states, using a comparative Eu ropean approach. The article roughly falls into three parts. In the first part a picture is given of the differences in the socio-economic position of women among the European member states. In the second part these differences are related to differences in welfare state regimes, thereby using the (slightly changed) typology developed by Esping-Andersen. The third part of the article is concerned with future developments.
Worker participation in europe: As many models as there are nations?
H. Slomp
Worker participation has become a recurrent issue in western European politics and labour relations, which has encouraged the publication of comparative surveys. This article provides some depth to the surveys, by relating a number of national differences in worker participation to each other. It shows that the main national differences in the nature of worker participation are not due to variations in national rules or in the relationship between the works councils and
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the union representation within the enterprise. Rather, they are due to the divergent types of labour relations, which constitute the framework of worker participation. Only in those types of labour relations in which worker participation takes place within a framework of collective agreements, is there any probability of a further participation development. In these types the arena of conflict is removed from inside the enterprise to higher levels of union-employer contact. Without such a separation between participation and collective bargaining, worker participation will remain a vexed question, not easily to be solved by national or European rules.
Blueprints for European information and consultation arrangements
J. Van Ruysseveldt
The European Community’s efforts to create a single market in 1992 have forced the transna tionalization of European business into high gear, widening the gap between the scope of nationally oriented bodies for employee infor mation,consultation and participation on the one hand and transnational company policy and structure on the other. The trade union move ment has long been in favour of Community re gulations governing the rights of workers with respect to information, consultation and partici pation at European level. In this article we shall discuss two EC initiatives: the European Com pany (1989) and the European Works Council (1990). These directives have yet to be adopted by the Council of Ministers. We shall investigate the significance and range of these proposals, which clearly bear the mark of the European Community’s decision-making process. As direc tives they are rather short on content; none theless, the significance of establishing informa
tion and consultation councils at European level should not be underestimated. Such bodies can function as an institutional platform, an infra structure for the further development of trans national practices of collective bargaining. These directives may play a pioneering role in the development of European industrial relations.
Information technology and employment in the European Community survey evidence
Dieter Fröhlich, Colin Gill and Hubert Krieger At the end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s when new information technology was first being introduced into the workplace, one of the key topics of discussion was the effect that new information technology would have on employment. It was generally argued that there would be substantial job losses associated with the widespread use of new information techno logy, although this view was partly countered by the argument that falls in employment would be even greater if new information technology was not adopted. In 1987-1988 a large attitudinal survey covering all 12 Member States of the European Community was carried out by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions in Dublin. In total 7.326 managers and employee representati ves in 2.807 enterprises were interviewed. Apart form exploring various aspects of participation by employee representatives in new information technology, the survey also sought information on the employment impact of new information technology. This article presents evidence suggesting that technological change has had a positive impact on employment during the 1980s. This positive impact is also manifest when the EC Member States are considered separately.
