The brave new world of European labor

Book abstract:

European trade unions played a central role in building a 'European model of society', by negotiating labour-management relations, high labour standards, generous welfare states and collective political representation. These policies reached their pinnacle in the post-war era. More recently, this 'European model' and the unions' place within it have been challenged by lower growth, rising unemployment, accelerated European integration, and neo-liberal policies. These essays examine responses of union movements to these challenges over the past two decades in six major European countries, and cross-nationally within the European Union. Essays cover British trade unionism in crisis, German industrial relations since 1980, Sweden's trade unions, politics and industrial relations in France since 1981, the extent of the resurgence of Italian unions and Spanish unions and labour market segmentation. Essays by the editors consider European unions as they face the millennium and the Europeanisation of labour representation. The final chapter looks at the many challenges which have faced trade unions and considers to what extent unions in the different countries have understood and responded to them. It concludes that European unions will be forced to accept a more modest position within society, but they can nevertheless remain important players if they face up to the opportunities presented, not only within their own countries but also at a European-wide level.

The essays, which are the product of a collaborative research team, are given coherence and comparability by a common framework that focuses on unions as mature social movement organisations engaged in continuing strategic interactions with their constituents and principal players in the economy and the state. The essays will appeal to both researchers and those delivering teaching programmes in the subject.

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