EC/DG V – OECD/DEELSA seminar: Wages and employment

Summary:

In December 1997 the Directorate General for Employment and Social Affairs of the European Commission, and the Directorate for Education, Employment, Labour and Social Affairs of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development jointly organised a seminar on Wages and Employment. The purpose of this seminar was to have an overview if the state of the art concerning some of the issues relating to wage differentials and employment. The event brought together about 50 participants, representing the Commission, the OECD, the Member States and the scientific Community.

This publication presents the summary report of the seminar as well as some of the papers presented during the conference. The discussions during presented during the conference. The discussions during the two days clearly indicated that there is no simple relationship between wages and employment and non employment at both ends of the wage scale, the importance of low wages as a stepping stone into the labour market, the possibility of wage mobility and the link between low wages and non employment.