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Relations industrielles

Les syndicats, les organisations patronales et les autorités publiques jouent tous un rôle dans la gestion des relations de travail. Ce sont des acteurs étroitement liés d’un système qui fonctionne à l’échelle de l’Europe, des pays, des secteurs, des régions et des entreprises. Au cours des dernières années, la technologie et les formes de travail ont évolué dans un environnement économique en mutation constante, et les systèmes de relations industrielles ont donc dû affronter des difficultés importantes.

Dans ce contexte, la Commission européenne a lancé en 2015 un «nouveau départ» pour le dialogue social européen. Dans une déclaration conjointe de juin 2016, la Commission, le Conseil de l’Union européenne et les partenaires sociaux ont souligné le rôle fondamental de cette initiative en tant que composante significative de l’élaboration des politiques sociales et d’emploi dans l’UE.

Topic

Recent updates

EU context

Le travail d’Eurofound

En quarante ans, Eurofound s’est imposée en tant que centre d’expertise fondamental pour le suivi et l’analyse des tendances observées dans les relations industrielles. Cela englobe aussi l’établissement de liens entre les échelons européen et national du dialogue social. En s’appuyant sur les connaissances de son réseau de correspondants européens présents dans 28 États membres de l’UE et en Norvège, elle a analysé les évolutions dans tous les États membres ainsi qu’à l’échelle de l’UE. 

Principales contributions

Eurofound a produit un ensemble d’analyses comparatives, d’articles et d’études de cas couvrant l’UE à 28 et la Norvège dans le domaine des relations industrielles, mais également des bases de données régulièrement actualisées sur des sujets connexes.

Une étude récente cartographie et examine les dimensions et indicateurs clés concernant les systèmes de relations industrielles en Europe au XXIe siècle. Un autre domaine de recherche étudie comment les partenaires sociaux de l’UE et de la Norvège ont exploré de nouveaux sujets, outils et approches innovantes afin de relever les nombreux défis nouveaux de nature tant politique que juridique ou sociale apparus au cours des dernières années.

La rémunération et le temps de travail restent des domaines suscitant un grand intérêt, et sont analysés chaque année. Un volet de la mise à jour récente relative à la rémunération se concentre sur les niveaux de rémunération minimaux légaux dans l’UE, tandis qu’un autre s’intéresse aux conventions collectives.

Depuis 2006, Eurofound mène des études sur la représentativité des organisations européennes de partenaires sociaux sectoriels, à la demande de la Commission européenne.

Ressources

Rapports sur l’évolution de la vie active

Eurofound fournit des données systématiques et comparables sur les systèmes nationaux de relations industrielles et l’évolution de la vie active grâce à des instruments de suivi et de communication des informations, en s’appuyant sur les contributions de son réseau de correspondants européens dans les 28 États membres de l’UE et en Norvège.

 

Key outputs

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This report examines the average weekly working hours across Europe in 2021 and 2022. It covers important developments resulting from legislative reforms in collective bargaining at national or sectoral level...

24 octobre 2023
Publication
Research report
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La révision annuelle 2023 des salaires minimaux a été préparée dans le contexte d’une inflation sans précédent à travers l’Europe. Même si elle a entraîné de fortes hausses des salaires...

29 juin 2023
Publication
Research report
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Dans le cadre de son mandat visant à favoriser le dialogue entre les employeurs et les travailleurs, Eurofound surveille et analyse l’évolution des systèmes de relations industrielles à l’échelle de...

11 décembre 2020
Publication
Flagship report

Current and ongoing research

 

Other ongoing work

    • Social dialogue in companies, particularly linkages that can be drawn between national and EU level, to better understand of cooperation mechanisms used in decision-making and implementation in multinational companies
    • Exploration of the role of national social partners in the European semester and analysis of quality and effectiveness of their involvement
    • Summary of discussions on capacity-building social dialogue to support a meaningful and effective social dialogue
    • A flagship report on industrial relations covering topics related to both social dialogue and working life developments, including updates on collectively agreed pay
    • Representativeness studies on a variety of sectors to provide the European Commission required information to assess the representativeness of European sectoral social partner organisations
    • Highlights of recent developments of selected features of working life in so called topical updates, with one featuring statutory minimum wages
    • Updated time series in EurWORK database of wages, working time and collective disputes
    • Updated time series and update on developments in collectively agreed pay
    • Exploring the feasibility for an Industrial Action Monitor

    Eurofound expert(s)

    ricardo-rodriguez-contreras-2023.png

    Ricardo Rodriguez Contreras is a research manager in the Working Life unit at Eurofound and focuses on comparative industrial relations, social dialogue and collective bargaining...

    Research manager,
    Working life research unit
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    Victoria Cojocariu is a research support officer for the representativeness studies in the Working Life unit at Eurofound. She is responsible for the management of the research...

    Research support officer,
    Working life research unit
    Publications results (516)

    This article discusses developments in collectively agreed wages in the European Union in 2016, putting them into the perspective of developments over the past 15 years. The tendency for growth in both nominal and real collectively agreed wages from 2015 continued. In two countries (Belgium and

    25 July 2017

    This EurWORK topical update summarises the views of European and national-level stakeholders on recent debates on implementing the principle of ‘equal pay’ for posted workers. Directive 96/71/EC foresees that posted workers must be granted the minimum standards of employment conditions applicable in

    18 July 2017

    This study provides information designed to encourage sectoral social dialogue in railways and urban public transport. The aim of Eurofound’s series of studies on representativeness is to identify the relevant national and supranational social partner organisations in the field of industrial

    03 April 2017

    This report provides an update on the role of national social partners in the European Semester process over the period 2015–2016, describing the main developments and changes compared with a previous Eurofound study on their involvement during the period 2011–2014.

    24 February 2017

    This study provides information designed to encourage sectoral social dialogue in the postal and courier activities sector. The aim of Eurofound’s series of studies on representativeness is to identify the relevant national and supranational social partner organisations in the field of industrial

    20 February 2017

    In 22 out of 28 EU Member States, a generally applicable statutory minimum wage exists; the level of this minimum wage varies greatly from one country to another. This article provides information on statutory minimum wage levels, how the minimum wage has been determined for 2017 and minimum wage

    09 February 2017

    Evidence from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy and Spain reveals that social partners are closely involved in setting up national strategies to manage digital change in the world of work. Up to now, this has been a high-level affair and there are only a few collective agreements or

    30 January 2017

    This study provides information designed to encourage sectoral social dialogue in the shipbuilding sector. The aim of Eurofound’s series of representativeness studies is to identify the relevant national and supranational social partner organisations in the field of industrial relations in selected

    27 January 2017

    This study provides information designed to encourage sectoral social dialogue in the sugar manufacturing sector. The aim of Eurofound’s series of representativeness studies is to identify the relevant national and supranational social partner organisations in the field of industrial relations in

    18 January 2017

    This article examines national-level initiatives aimed at strengthening social dialogue among social partners in five Member States: Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Latvia and Lithuania. It summarises the content of the programmes, reviews the outcomes of the evaluations and offers a view of

    16 January 2017

    Online resources results (1688)

    Participation and collective bargaining in Italian enterprises

    During the 1990s, the tendencies within Italian enterprises towards a greater participation of workers and their representatives have become more pronounced. This has applied to direct, economic/financial and institutional participation, and here we review recent developments, focusing on the second

    Labour cost reductions pose new challenges to industrial relations in banking

    Over the past few months, the Governor of the Bank of Italy, Antonio Fazio, and the Abi banking employers' association have urged the Government to start negotiations with employers' associations and trade unions in order to deal with the problems linked to the low profitability of the Italian

    Recent trends in health and safety at work

    Health and safety at work has arisen as a very serious matter of social concern over recent years and has become a focus of interest for both the state and the social institutions concerned. The magnitude and complexity of the problem and the need to find direct and effective solutions have induced

    The 1997 bargaining round previewed

    The majority of Norwegian wage agreements are of two years' duration, and the current settlements will expire during 1998. However, issues relating to remuneration will be renegotiated at central level in 1997. Most of the agreements between LO (the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions or

    Apparent breakdown of Belgian central bargaining

    For the first time since 1960, the Belgian social partners have failed to reach an intersectoral pay agreement and have instead accepted government imposition of measures on employment and maximum pay increases. This development runs counter to all traditions of free collective bargaining and the

    Employers and unions adopt positions on labour market reform

    Employers and unions want to reduce the amount of temporary recruitment and the number of types of employment contract. They also want to increase their freedom to negotiate labour market issues through collective bargaining. These are the key issues in the current debate over a new round of labour

    European social partners issue joint declaration on Confidence Pact for Employment

    At a special Social Dialogue Committee meeting held on 29 November 1996, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the Union of Industrial and Employers' Confederations of Europe (UNICE), and the European Centre of Enterprises with Public Participation (CEEP) adopted a joint contribution to the

    The future of the social dialogue at Community level

    On 18 September 1996, the European Commission adopted a /Communication Concerning the Development of the Social Dialogue Process at Community Level/ (COM(96) 448 final). Launching the Communication, the commissioner responsible for social affairs, Padraig Flynn, said that the time had come to reform


    Blogs results (18)
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    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

    15 juin 2022
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    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

    28 octobre 2020
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    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 avril 2020
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    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 janvier 2020
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    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

    20 novembre 2019
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    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 novembre 2019
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    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

    17 juillet 2019
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    The votes have been cast, tallied and declared and we can now see the political landscape of the new European Parliament. It is a complex picture: there has been growth of far-right and populist parties, but well short of what was projected, and at the same time there has been a boost for pro

    seniority-based-entitlements-blog.jpg

    Seniority entitlements have largely been on the decline since the 1990s, and have been gradually phased-out from legislation in Europe, as well as in collective agreements. However, it would be premature to dismiss seniority-based entitlements as a thing of the past, as they remain in force across

    17 avril 2019
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    In this blog piece, originally published in Social Europe, Karel Fric and Camilla Galli da Bino look at the issue of discrimination against men in the workplace in Europe, and the current lack of research in this area.

    1 mai 2018

    Upcoming publications results (9)

    This report reviews the quality of the national social partners’ involvement in the implementation of the reforms and investments shaping the digital and green transition in the context of national policymaking. These reforms and investments stem mainly from the Recovery and Resilience Facility.

    March 2025

    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

    November 2024

    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

    November 2024

    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

    November 2024

    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

    November 2024

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

    November 2024

    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

    November 2024

    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.

    June 2024

    The 2024 annual review of minimum wages presents the most recent rates of national minimum wages and recalls how they were set and agreed upon during 2023. It includes information on minimum wages set in sectoral collective agreements in countries without national minimum wages.

    June 2024

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    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.