Collective bargaining on employment in Europe
October 1997
In recent years, collective bargaining in many European countries has explicitly taken on the issue of preserving and creating employment. In many states, collective agreements at all levels have come up with new ways of avoiding or reducing planned job losses, or even of increasing employment levels. These have ranged from national, sectoral or regional tripartite or bipartite "employment alliances/pacts" to company-specific agreements between employers and works councils/trade unions. This study outlines, analyses and comments on the main developments in collective bargaining on employment in Europe.
The comparative study was compiled on the basis of individual national reports submitted by EIRO's national centres. The text of each of these national reports is available below in Word format. The reports have not been edited or approved by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. The national reports were drawn up in response to a questionnaire and should be read in conjunction with it.