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Industrial relations and social dialogue

Industrial relations and social dialogue is one of Eurofound's main operational activities for its 2025–2028 programming period. Building on the past 50 years of research, Eurofound continues to function as a centre of expertise for monitoring and analysing developments in industrial relations and social dialogue at European and national levels and promoting dialogue between management and labour.

Eurofound’s research priorities are shaped by the opportunities and challenges arising from four mega-drivers: demographic change, climate change, technological change and re-globalisation. In the area of industrial relations and social dialogue, the Agency also continues to monitor, report and analyse developments in this area at sector and, as far as feasible, company levels. 

This research activity responds to the need to support social dialogue and provide comparative data on national institutional settings and developments as well as European-level developments.

Topic

Recent updates

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National minimum wages, 2025

Eurofound publishes gross and nominal statutory minimum wages applicable in EU countries that have a statutory minimum wage.

Data Item

Eurofound research 2025

During 2025, Eurofound’s continues its regular reporting and monitoring of developments in industrial relations and social dialogue. Work continues on sectoral representativeness studies, at the request of the European Commission. Research also builds on the knowledge around the degree and form of the social partners’ involvement in national tripartite policymaking in the context of the European Semester.

Drawing on the expertise of the Network of Eurofound Correspondents, regular updating of the EU PolicyWatch database offers examples of collective agreements, company cases and other initiatives, and captures how national governments involve the social partners in policymaking.

In 2025, Eurofound begins preparation for the 2026 edition of the Tripartite Exchange Seminar, in cooperation with the relevant partners.

Topics of research include:

  • Minimum wages: Looking at how Member States have adapted their systems following the transposition of the Directive on adequate minimum wages in the European Union, including further experiences with pay transparency measures and an annual review of minimum wages
  • Working time: Monitoring developments, including regulation and outcomes
  • Involvement of the social partners: Social partners’ involvement in the governance of national public employment services and social security institutions in the EU
  • Collective bargaining: How collective bargaining can be promoted, the obstacles that could be removed, and the range of topics that are addressed in collective agreements
  • Caring for care services: Focusing on industrial relations aspects such as representation, collective bargaining and social dialogue in the sector
  • Representativeness studies: Various sectors
  • National reporting on industrial relations, social dialogue and working life
  • Working life country profiles update

What our experts say

...

We are there to support the dialogue between management and labour. And I think the data we draw together and the research we do is important, if it helps the actors themselves, to function better… A vibrant social dialogue is part of what you might call a social market economy, which is what the European Union is aiming to achieve.

Listen to our podcasts on issues around industrial relations and social dialogue

Eurofound Talks - A podcast series

 

Infographic: Industrial relations and social dialogue in the EU

Key challenges for industrial relations systems are changes in society, labour markets and the organisation of work.

Fewer than 1 in 3 EU workplaces with 10+ workers has some form of official employee representation.

See full infographic

Linking in with EU priorities

2025 marks the first year of the five-year period of the EU policy and legislative cycle for 2025–2029. The research and monitoring carried out in the area of industrial relations and social dialogue is relevant for a range of EU initiatives, such as:

  • the Council Recommendation and the Communication on strengthening social dialogue in the European Union
  • the implementation of the Directive on adequate minimum wages
  • the future of the European Works Councils
  • the Council Recommendation on access to social protection for workers and the self-employed
  • the involvement of the social partners in the European Semester and the recovery and resilience plans
  • the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan

Key outputs

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Living and working in Europe 2023

The post-pandemic recovery of Europe continued in 2023, with strong job creation despite subdued economic growth, against a background of rising geopolitical tension. Eurofound’s research over the year brought to...

2 May 2024
Publication
Annual report
Publications results (541)

Eurofound work programme 2025: Supporting better policies for a strong social Europe

This programming document sets out Eurofound’s work programme for 2025 and outlines Eurofound's planned activities for the period 2025–2028, providing the policy and institutional context.

06 January 2025
Publication
Work programme
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Working conditions and sustainable work
Employment and labour markets
Living conditions and quality of life

Multiannual research programme 2025–2028: Responding to Europe’s new opportunities and challenges

Eurofound's multiannual work programme for 2025–2028 addresses the opportunities and challenges arising from four key mega-drivers: climate change, demographic change, technological change and re-globalisation and geopolitical reconfiguration.

06 January 2025
Publication
Work programme
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Working conditions and sustainable work
Living conditions and quality of life
Employment and labour markets

Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Extractive industries sector

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the extractive industries sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to be consulted, their role and effective par

13 December 2024
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social dialogue
Social partners
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations

Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Construction sector

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the construction sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to be consulted, their role and effective participatio

13 December 2024
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social dialogue
Social partners
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations

Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Chemical sector

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the chemical sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to be consulted, their role and effective participation in

13 December 2024
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social dialogue
Social partners
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations

Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Road transport sector

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the road transport sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to be consulted, their role and effective participat

05 December 2024
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social dialogue
Social partners
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations

Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Postal and courier activities sector

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the professional postal and courier activities sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to be consulted, their

29 November 2024
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social dialogue
Social partners
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations

Workplace bullying, harassment and cyberbullying: Are regulations and policies fit for purpose?

Over the last decade, information and communication technologies have changed the way employees work and communicate with each other. While the digitalisation of work offers many benefits, widespread access to digital devices in working life has created new forms of antisocial behaviour.

25 September 2024
Publication
Research report
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Digitalisation
Health and well-being at work
Psychosocial risks
Labour and social regulation

Developments in working life 2023

This publication comprises individual country reports on developments in working life in each of the 27 EU Member States and Norway in 2023, based on national research and survey results. The topics covered include the political context in 2023; updates on the social partners and social dialogue ins

26 July 2024
Publication
Other
Social partners
Working conditions
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations

Minimum wages in 2024: Annual review

This 2024 annual review of minimum wages provides a synopsis of minimum wage setting during 2023 in the EU27 and Norway. It reports in detail on the processes and outcomes of setting the minimum wage rates for 2024 and beyond. It investigates the extent to which minimum wage earners were affected by

26 June 2024
Publication
Research report
Minimum wage
Pay and income
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
Online resources results (1807)

Basque Foundation for Continuing Vocational Training begins operations

HOBETUZ, a foundation for continuing vocational training that will replace Spain's national FORCEM organisation in the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country, started operations in July 1997. This is the first step towards the decentralisation of continuing vocational training which has been

27 September 1997
Article
Social dialogue
Social partners
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Trends in the development of labour markets and labour relations in Central and Eastern Europe

Over the last 10-15 years, the countries of the former Eastern bloc have experienced a radical transformation in political, economic and social structures, in their struggle to rid themselves from the legacy of Soviet domination. Many of these new democracies are keen to join the European Union and

27 September 1997
Article
Employment and labour markets
Social dialogue
Social partners
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Outside labour dispute leads to strikes in paper mills

A decision was recently made to change the collective agreement applicable to maintenance personnel employed by ABB Service and subcontracted to work at the Nokia Paper Ltd tissue paper factory. They were to be switched from the coverage of the paper industry collective agreement to the metalworking

27 September 1997
Article
Industrial action
Industrial relations
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations and social dialogue

New rules on representativeness and bargaining in the public sector

On 5 August 1997, the Italian Government approved a draft decree-law regulating trade union representativeness and collective bargaining in the public sector. This draft decree-law introduces a number of innovations into industrial relations in the public sector by establishing rules for

27 September 1997
Article
Industrial relations
Labour and social regulation
Social partners
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Substantial wage increases and a new bargaining situation for the medical profession

As a result of the 1996 wage settlement, medical physicians employed at Norwegian hospitals gained substantial wage increases. These increases can in part be explained by an increase in basic wages, and in part by prolonging weekly working hours through permitting more overtime and at the same time

27 September 1997
Article
Public services
Social partners
Pay and income
Working time
Industrial relations
Working conditions
Living conditions and quality of life
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Collective bargaining trends over the first half of 1997

Official figures published in Portugal reveal that almost 200 collective agreements were signed in the first half of 1997. Negotiated pay increases average about 3.6% a year, and other terms and conditions covered include working time and flexible rostering.

27 September 1997
Article
Collective bargaining
Social dialogue
Pay and income
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Women workers contribute to an all-time high in trade union density

By international standards, trade union density in Sweden has always been exceptionally high. Nevertheless, just as in most western European countries, it began to decline in the mid-1980s from its all-time high. Since the beginning of the 1990s however, Swedish workers have again begun to join

27 September 1997
Article
Employee representation
Social partners
Gender equality
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Council for Redundancy Support and Advice under debate

In 1974 the private sector Swedish Employers' Confederation (Svenska Arbetsgivareföreningen, SAF) and the negotiating cartel, the Federation of Salaried Employees in Industry and Services (Privattjänstemannakartellen, PTK) concluded a collective agreement ( known as the trygghetsavtalet), with the

27 September 1997
Article
Restructuring
Social dialogue
Working conditions
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Agenda 2000 and the European social dimension - countdown to enlargement: The case of the Czech Republic

On 16 July 1997, the European Commission published a document of some 200 pages entitled Agenda 2000: For a stronger and wider Europe [1], in which it outlines the Community's policies in respect of enlargement, their impact on the applicant countries and a summary and conclusions of the opinions of

27 August 1997
Article
Industrial relations
Social partners
Social policies
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Labour relations in cooperatives: the working partner issue

A long-running debate over the position of "working partners" in cooperatives - partners who also work in the organisation - has caused a dispute between Italian trade unions and cooperative associations, which came to a head when negotiations broke down in July 1997. We review the controversy and

27 August 1997
Article
Employment status
Employee representation
Social dialogue
Pay and income
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Blogs results (22)
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How to ensure adequate minimum wages in an age of inflation

Minimum wages have risen significantly in 2022, as the EU Member States leave behind the cautious mood of the pandemic. However, rising inflation is eating up these wage increases, and only flexibility in the regular minimum wage setting processes may avoid generalised losses in purchasing power amo

15 June 2022
Carlos Vacas‑Soriano
Blog
Pay and income
Minimum wage
Agreements
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
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Resumed EU Semester calls for better involvement of the social partners in implementing recovery and resilience plans

With the arrival of the month of May, the 2022 European Semester Spring Package is anticipated soon. After a transformative year in 2021, which saw the launch of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) under NextGenerationEU, the European Semester cycle has resumed its role as the reference frame

3 May 2022
Ricardo Rodriguez Contreras
Blog
Social partners
European Pillar of Social Rights
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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Gender pay transparency: Advancing the cause through a truly European proposal

With its proposed directive on gender pay transparency, the European Commission has significantly bolstered the set of tools for delivering its objectives compared to those presented in its 2014 Recommendation. The proposed portfolio of measures addresses many shortcomings of the instruments that na

18 June 2021
Christine Aumayr-Pintar
Blog
Pay and income
Working conditions and sustainable work
Gender equality
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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Minimum wages rise again, but the pandemic puts a brake on their growth

Decision-makers approached minimum wage setting for 2021 cautiously due to the economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic. Despite this, nominal statutory minimum wages rose in most Member States and the UK, although at lower rates than in recent years.

8 June 2021
Carlos Vacas‑Soriano
Blog
Social dialogue
Pay and income
Working poor
Minimum wage
European Pillar of Social Rights
Labour market policies
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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New impetus to collective bargaining: Insights from the ECS

In the context of the ongoing trend of a fall in collective bargaining coverage, and recent calls at EU level to promote collective bargaining coverage as an instrument to support fair and decent wages, new data from Eurofound’s fourth European Company Survey (ECS) show that two-thirds of workers (i

28 October 2020
Christine Aumayr-Pintar
Blog
Social dialogue
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations
Minimum wage
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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What Europe can learn from living-wage campaigns

The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is having drastic consequences for the world of work. In most European countries workers who are not delivering essential ‘frontline’ services are being asked to stay home. Unfortunately many are out of work, while many of those who are not are minimum-wage and low

1 April 2020
John Hurley
Blog
COVID-19
Working poor
Working conditions and sustainable work
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations
Minimum wage
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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Fears and hopes around future minimum wages

As one of their ‘100 days in office’ initiatives, the new European Commission intends to propose an initiative for an EU minimum wage. The aim is that by 2024 every worker in the EU should earn a fair and adequate wage, no matter where they live.

15 January 2020
Christine Aumayr-Pintar
Blog
Pay and income
Industrial relations
Minimum wage
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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Restructuring: Do unions still matter?

Trade unions in many EU Member States face the issue of declining membership. This is a fundamental challenge for organised labour, but it is premature to speak about the redundancy unions: when it comes to important decisions affecting the workplace, restructuring being one, trade unions remain a p

20 November 2019
Sara Riso
Blog
Restructuring
Working conditions
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Employment and labour markets
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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100 years of 8-hour working days

The International Labour Organization (ILO) met for the first time 100 years ago, and right at the top of the agenda for discussion for this new specialised UN agency was the 8-hour working day. This discussion subsequently resulted in the Hours of Work (Industry) Convention, which stated that ‘The

12 November 2019
Nils Brandsma
Blog
Working time
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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Member States still getting to grips with the single labour market

The European Platform Tackling Undeclared Work last year documented the case of a Dutch temporary work agency that hired workers of various nationalities to work for a construction company in Belgium. The wages were suspiciously low, and the Belgian Labour Inspectorate believed that EU law guarantee

17 July 2019
Helen Burke
Blog
Posted workers
Working conditions and sustainable work
Working conditions
Undeclared work
Fraudulent work
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
Upcoming publications results (11)

Representativeness study: Agriculture

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the agriculture sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to participate, be consulted and have the potential to

March 2026
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social partners
Social dialogue
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Representativeness study: Maritime transport

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the agriculture sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to participate, be consulted and have the potential to

December 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social partners
Social dialogue
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Representativeness study: Footwear

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the agriculture sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to participate, be consulted and have the potential to

November 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social partners
Social dialogue
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Representativeness study: Ports

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the agriculture sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to participate, be consulted and have the potential to

November 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social partners
Social dialogue
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Representativeness study: Tanning and leather

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the agriculture sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to participate, be consulted and have the potential to

October 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social partners
Social dialogue
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Graphical sector

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the graphical industry. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to be consulted, their role and effective participation

September 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social dialogue
Social partners
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations

Representativeness study: Temporary Agency Work

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the agriculture sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to participate, be consulted and have the potential to

August 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social partners
Social dialogue
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Collective bargaining beyond pay: An analysis of collective agreements in selected low-paid sectors

This report analyses and compares the content of 98 collective agreements across three low-wage sectors in 12 EU Member States. The project builds on Eurofound’s database of collective agreements related to low-paid workers, collected for the Agency’s pilot project on minimum wages.

August 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Agreements
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Minimum wages in 2025: Annual review

The 2025 annual review of minimum wages provides a synopsis of minimum wage setting across the EU27 and Norway during 2024. It reports in detail on the processes and outcomes of setting the minimum wage rates for 2025 and beyond. The report also summarises how Member States have amended their minimu

August 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Minimum wage
Pay and income
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Impact of national minimum wages on collective bargaining and wages of low-paid groups

This research report analyses how changes to national minimum wages impact collectively agreed wages and actual wages for selected low-paid jobs and sectors. The methodology combines quantitative (econometric) and qualitative analyses. The quantitative analysis uses Eurofound’s database of collectiv

June 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Minimum wage
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Data results (11)

National minimum wages, 2025

Eurofound publishes gross and nominal statutory minimum wages applicable in EU countries that have a statutory minimum wage.

29 January 2025
Source:
Minimum wages
Reference period:
2025

Degree of satisfaction with involvement in implementation of policies on economic and social cohesion, productivity and competitiveness, EU Member States, 2023

26 February 2024

Main setting for involving the social partners in RRP implementation, EU Member States, 2023

26 February 2024

Degree of satisfaction with involvement in implementation of policies on health, and economic, social and institutional resilience, EU Member States, 2023

26 February 2024

Assessment of the evolution of quality of involvement in implementation of reforms and investments in the RRP since the establishment of the RRF, EU Member States, 2023

26 February 2024

Degree of satisfaction with involvement in implementation of policies on the green transition and environmental sustainability, EU Member States, 2023

26 February 2024

Degree of satisfaction regarding involvement in implementation of digital transition policies, EU Member States, 2023

26 February 2024

Assessment of the potential influence of the measures and reforms included in the RRPs, EU Member States, 2023

26 February 2024

Number of Member States that use each type of institutional setting for involving the social partners in RRP implementation

26 February 2024

Degree of satisfaction with involvement in implementation of policies for the next generation, EU Member States, 2023

26 February 2024

Disclaimer

When freely submitting your request, you are consenting Eurofound in handling your personal data to reply to you. Your request will be handled in accordance with the provisions of Regulation (EU) 2018/1725 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2018 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data by the Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies and on the free movement of such data. More information, please read the Data Protection Notice.