European labour law, 8th ed.

Book abstract:

This book deals with European labour law and industrial relations. It covers legislation concerning relations between employers and employees, collective agreements and the case law of the Court of Justice, as well as the structure and strategies of the social actors. The book consists of three parts: a general section, a section devoted to individual law and a section that deals with collective labour law.

The book starts with a general introduction to the institutions and policy-making processes of the EU, a description of the social partners and a look at the competences of the EU regarding labour law. In this new 8th edition the coverage includes the Social Policy Agenda 2000-2005, the significance of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the labour law field and the changes brought about by the Treaty of Nice.

In the section on individual labour law the following areas are covered: Free movement of workers, individual employment contracts, child care and the protection of young people at work, equal treatment, working time, parental leave, health and safety, and the restructuring of enterprises.

In the section on collective labour law the following areas are covered: collective bargaining, workers' participation and the Societas Europaea.

In an epilogue the author writes a chapter called 'In search of a European Social Model (ESM): A dream?' - and concludes that at present no such model exists, although the EU has made some contribution to a number of social issues in the area of equal treatment, free movement of labour, health and safety and restructuring. Labour law in the EU remains mainly a national affair. The reason that there is no ESM is the lack of EU competence in social matters and the lack of a political will to change this.

The book is specifically geared to a legal audience (with standard features such as a list of cited cases, for example), but will also be of interest to researchers from other disciplines with an interest in the subject.