Industrial relations in the public sector
December 2008
Comparative study [ 
size 427 kb ]
This report presents an overview of industrial relations in the central government and public sector in European Union Member States (with the exception of Sweden) and Norway. It describes the sectoral breakdown across countries and analyses the main employment trends. It then explores developments in employment relations in the sector while also analysing collective bargaining in the countries surveyed, highlighting the similarities and variations across the industrial relations systems in the sector. The study shows that, while employment relations are changing in most countries in the direction of greater harmonisation between the public and private sector, and between career civil servants and employees under ordinary contract, there is still much variation across countries due to the legal and institutional traditions of each country.
The study was compiled on the basis of individual national reports submitted by the EIRO correspondents. The text of each of these national reports is available below. 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.