Suchergebnisse

Pacts for employment and competitiveness (PECs) raise understandable concerns about the potential for 'concession bargaining', 'regime competition' and the fragmentation of the inclusive collective bargaining structures characteristic of most European national systems. PECs are not themselves the source of the problem, however, and are unlikely to be a temporary phenomenon. Rather PECs are a manifestation of wider changes taking place in the process and structure of collective bargaining, reflecting the more complex role collective bargaining is playing in the light of 'globalisation' in general and 'Europeanisation' in particular. These developments are also bringing about a measure of convergence across EU countries in the form of substantial changes in the levels, scope, form and output of collective bargaining, all of which are being encouraged by the emerging multi-level system of industrial relations in Europe.

There appears to be some doubt about the future direction of both the theory and the practice of employment relations. This article therefore speculates about the prospects of the "new" European social model becoming the orthodoxy in the field. This model, which has strong similarities with the UK's "partnership" agreements, stands up very well to many of the criticisms levelled at the "HRM" paradigm that was the most recent contender. The plausibility of the "new" model is in doubt, however, given the prevailing economic and political context in the UK and other EU countries. Even so, if people are looking for a dominant focus for analysis and policy, this "new" model has much to recommend. In particular, it is especially relevant to handling the implications of the restructuring likely to be the main concern for the foreseeable future.

Based on the 1991 Shirley Lerner Memorial
Lecture, a discussion is conducted of the challenges
and opportunities facing teachers and researchers
arising from the rapidly changing practice of
industrial relations. A widening of the scope of the
subject, to include its individual as well as collective
aspects, it is argued, is fully compatible with seeing
the main focus as the employment relationship.
The challenge to the subject′s research tradition
of empirical enquiry, multi‐disciplinarity and above
all, its integrity, is much more fundamental.
Maintaining this tradition is not only vital for
industrial relations, but also for the future direction
of the business schools in which most industrial
relations teachers and researchers find themselves.

The past two years have seen considerable changes in the organisation of the Industrial Relations Research Unit (IRRU) at the University of Warwick as well as its personnel. It is now a Designated Research Centre (DRC) for which the university is responsible, as opposed to the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). The unit now comprises members of the DRC and of the industrial relations teaching staff of the school. An overview of the main research projects being undertaken during the first phase of the eight‐year term of the DRC is given. These can be divided into three broad areas: those concerned with managing industrial relations; trade unions and collective bargaining; and the law and industrial relations. Some of the thinking behind these projects is given. It is argued that continuity is as important as change in the work of the unit, in particular in the value placed on theoretical developments and interdisciplinary research. There is no reason why new areas of investigation cannot be accommodated within additional definitions of industrial relations

European integration has led to considerable reflection about the trajectory of industrial relations in Europe. In the event, rather than the 'two extremes of social union versus a completely deregulated free-for-all', a multi-level system is emerging which is simultaneously prompting both convergent and divergent developments, reflecting the different intensity of pressures for change at sector and company levels. For the foreseeable future, complexity, uncertainty and instability look set to be the defining characteristics, with policy-makers and practitioners seeking to influence directions to their own advantage. Especially uncertain is the impact of enlargement, bearing in mind the accession states' very different industrial relations systems and levels of economic development. (Journal of Common Market Studies / FUB)

Recent developments in the EU have given renewed impetus to the prospect of European‐level collective bargaining. Greater divergence within national systems of industrial relations alongside the emergence of European‐level structures is reflected in the emergence of nascent forms of European collective bargaining at three levels: interprofessional, sector and Euro‐company. Best described as 'virtual collective bargaining', these embrace two processes: the conclusion of 'framework agreements' or 'joint opinions' which establish bargaining parameters for national‐level actors; and 'arms length' bargaining, where the parties do not negotiate directly, but where bargaining outcomes are increasingly anticipated and co‐ordinated across countries. EMU is likely to accelerate these processes.

The European Foundation's EPOC survey results suggest there is a need to reappraise the relative significance of the two main forms of direct participation: consultation and delegation. Unexpectedly, in the light of the very different priority accorded to them in both the policy and scientific debates, not only does a majority of respondent managers regard the consultative forms of direct participation as more important than the delegative forms but the effects of the consultative forms on a range of indicators of performance are also considered to be at least equal to those of the delegative forms. Intriguingly, too, statistical analysis suggests the consultative forms are more likely to be associated with positive employment trends than delegation.

Recent developments in the EU have given renewed impetus to the prospect of European-level collective bargaining. Greater divergence within national systems of industrial relations alongside the emergence of European-level structures is reflected in the emergence of nascent forms of European collective bargaining at three levels: interprofessional, sector and Euro-company. Best described as 'virtual collective bargaining', these embrace two processes: the conclusion of 'framework agreements' or 'joint opinions' which establish bargaining parameters for national-level actors; and 'arms length' bargaining, where the parties do not negotiate directly, but where bargaining outcomes are increasingly anticipated and co-ordinated across countries. EMU is likely to accelerate these processes. (Journal of Common Market Studies / FUB)

Die EPOC-Studie der Europäischen Stiftung schlägt vor, das Augenmerk vor allem auf die zwei wichtigsten Formen der direkten Partizipation zu richten: Konsultation und Delegierung. Ganz im Gegensatz zur Diskussion in Politik und Wissenschaft messen die befragten Manager der Konsultation nicht nur eine höhere Bedeutung bei als der Delegierung. Auch die Auswirkungen der Konsultation auf die Gesamtleistung wird wenigstens genauso wichtig angesehen. Ebenso verblüffend ist, daß Konsultation, so legen es die statistischen Ergebnisse nahe, positivere Auswirkungen auf die Beschäftigungslage hat als Delegierung. (Transfer / FUB)

Examines bargaining at the interprofessional, sectoral, and Euro-company levels involving the conclusion of agreements or opinions establishing bargaining parameters for national level actors, and "arms length" bargaining where outcomes are coordinated across countries; European Union.

"Are European works councils the first step on the road to European level
collective bargaining? Factors against this view include the Directive's limitation to
information rights, the existence of a clear demarcation between information and
bargaining in many EU countries, the national focus of most European unions, and
the increasingly divisionalised structure of companies. Nevertheless, as product
markets become more internationalised, multinationals develop more international
employee management systems, and unions seek cross- border comparisons of
employee rights and benefits, there are real pressures towards a form of 'armslength'
bargaining at European level. In this the parties do not formally negotiate at
the European level, but they do influence and anticipate each other's at national
level." (author's abstract)