Collective bargaining in Europe in the 21st century

As businesses across Europe struggle to respond to intensifying global competition, pressure from employers for greater flexibility in collective bargaining is increasing, especially since the 2008 economic crisis.

This report sets out to map developments in all major aspects of collective bargaining (apart from pay and working time, which have been analysed separately by Eurofound) over the past 15 years.

It aims to distinguish long-term trends, to identify changes brought on by the crisis and the directions collective bargaining is likely to take in the coming years.

The study finds a common and strong trend of convergence across the EU towards decentralisation and more flexibility in collective bargaining processes.

Collective bargaining in Europe in the 21st century : Executive summary https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/sites/default/files/ef_publication/field_ef_document/ef1548en1.pdf

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