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A large and increasing number of studies examine the influence of collective bargaining systems on wage dispersion, but very few analyse their influence on poverty levels. Yet it would be a mistake to assume that the relationship between wage dispersion and poverty rates is straightforward: the evidence shows that in most industrialized countries, poverty is not primarily a problem of the working poor. This article addresses explicitly the relationship between collective bargaining systems and relative poverty rates in OECD countries. Empirical findings suggest that industrial relations systems have a significant impact upon poverty, not through any direct effect on wage dispersion, but from their relative impact on government spending on social security. ; SCOPUS: ar.j ; info:eu-repo/semantics/published

In most of the European Union countries, decisions related to the third pillar guidelines fall to those involved in collective bargaining. This is certainly the case for everything covered under Guideline 16 and, in particular, questions related to the reduction, reorganisation or modernisation of working time, with the exception of part-time work, which is very often the subject of statutory or legislative measures. Thus, we find numerous references to part-time work in the NAPs, whether to measures intended to facilitate the use of this form of work by employers or employees, or to the need to improve the working conditions of part-timers. On the other hand, all of the NAPs - with a few exceptions - are very circumspect, or not very explicit, about aspects linked to the duration and organisation of working time. It is difficult, moreover, to judge the progress made within the Member States with respect to partnership at all levels, as encouraged in the guidelines, which is meant to be one of the essential factors contributing to a modernisation of work organisation and an improvement in firms' adaptability. Although social pacts have been concluded in certain countries (Italy, Ireland, Luxembourg, Finland), their real scope cannot be evaluated by studying the National Action Plans. Moreover, their possible effects can only be judged over time. Investment in human capital is without doubt the aspect which comes up least in the NAPs, or can in any case be described as the dimension where innovative input is most lacking. Finally, the gender dimension puts in too rare an appearance in the third pillar, even though working time, employment contracts and training are three areas where the gender dimension is essential and causes significant stratification. It emerges from a close examination of the NAPs that the third pillar is interpreted in too restrictive a manner, underestimating the modernisation of work organisation aspect, and lacking an overall vision of the true potential of a strategy to modernise the organisation of work and working time.

In den meisten EU-Ländern sind Entscheidungen im Zusammenhang mit dem dritten Pfeiler Anpassungsfähigkeit Ergebnis von Tarifverhandlungen. Das trifft vor allem auf die Punkte zu, die unter die Leitlinie 16 fallen, und besonders auf Fragen, die sich auf die Verringerung, Neuorganisation und Modernisierung der Arbeitszeit beziehen. Ausgenommen davon ist Teilzeitarbeit, die oft Gegenstand von gesetzlichen Regelungen ist. Folglich finden sich in den Nationalen Aktionsplänen (NAP) zahlreiche Hinweise auf Teilzeitarbeit, sei es, um ihre Einführung auf seiten von Arbeitgebern und Beschäftigten zu fördern, sei es, um die Arbeitsbedingungen von teilzeitbeschäftigten ArbeitnehmerIinnen zu verbessern. Andererseits sind alle Aktionspläne sehr zurückhaltend, oder zumindest nicht sehr explizit, was die Dauer und die Organisation der Arbeitszeit betrifft. Es ist schwer, den Fortschritt in den Mitgliedstaaten im Hinblick auf Partnerschaften auf den verschiedenen Ebenen zu beurteilen. Die Leitlinien ermutigen dazu, Partnerschaften werden als Schlüsselelement angesehen, wenn es um die Modernisierung der Arbeitsorganisation und die Anpassungsfähigkeit der Unternehmen geht. Obwohl Sozialpakte in verschiedenen Ländern (Italien, Irland, Luxemburg und Finnland) geschlossen wurden, so können ihre tatsächlichen Auswirkungen nicht beurteilt werden, wenn man nur auf die Nationalen Aktionspläne schaut. Eine realistische Beurteilung ist erst im Lauf der Zeit möglich. Investitionen in Humankapital ist der Bereich, der am wenigsten in den Nationalen Aktionsplänen vorkommt bzw. wo innovative Ansätze am meisten fehlen. Schließlich kommen auch geschlechtsspezifische Fragen zu wenig in den Aktionsplänen vor, obgleich Arbeitszeit, Arbeitsverträge und Fortbildung drei Bereiche sind, wo geschlechtsbezogene Unterschiede eine wichtige Rolle spielen. Eine Untersuchung der Nationalen Aktionspläne zeigt ein zu enges Verständnis des dritten Pfeilers. Die Modernisierung der Arbeitsorganisation wird unterschätzt, und es fehlt eine umfassende Vision davon, wie eine künftige Strategie für eine Modernisierung von Arbeitsorganisation und Arbeitszeit aussehen könnte. (Transfer / FUB)

In Belgium, 2007 has been marked by long coalition negotiations over an agreement on a new government. The main bone of contention had been related to the reform of the Belgian Federal State. Among the suggested reforms, the regionalisation of the collective bargaining system turned out frequently. It relies on the assumption that the productivity differences between regions are not fully taken into account in a federal wage setting system. Our findings challenge this hypothesis by putting forward the current existence of wage differentials between regions and joint committees. We also show that regional wage differentials at the joint committee level are correlated to regional productivity differences. Finally, we find that the correlation between regional wage differentials and productivity is higher in decentralised joint committees. Hence, we conclude that productivity variations are already integrated in the Belgian wage setting system. ; info:eu-repo/semantics/published

We use a harmonized matched employer—employee dataset to study the impact of the collective bargaining regime on wages in the manufacturing sector in three countries with a multi-level system of bargaining: Belgium, Denmark and Spain. Single-employer bargaining has a positive effect both on wage levels and on wage dispersion in Belgium and in Denmark. In Spain, it also increases wage levels but reduces wage dispersion. Our interpretation is that in Belgium and Denmark, single-employer bargaining is used to adapt pay to the specific needs of the firm while, in Spain it is mainly used by trade unions in order to compress the wage distribution.

Using a unique harmonized matched employer-employee dataset (European Structure of Earnings Survey, 1995), we study the impact of the regime of collective bargaining on wages in the manufacturing sector of three countries that are characterized by a multi-level system of bargaining: Belgium, Denmark and Spain. Our findings show that, compared to multi-employer bargaining, single-employer bargaining has a positive effect both on wage levels and on wage dispersion in Belgium and in Denmark. In Spain, single-employer bargaining also increases wage levels but reduces wage dispersion. Our interpretation is that in Belgium and Denmark, single-employer bargaining is used to adapt pay to the specific needs of the firm while, in Spain, it is mainly used by trade unions in order to compress the wage distribution.