European Trade Unions: Change And Response (routledge Studies In The European Economy)

This book considers the EU's effect on trade unions and the reponses they have developed. It includes studies from key industrial sectors, comparing unions in these sectors in Germany, the UK, Spain, Italy and Denmark. Book Cover......Page 1 Half-Title......Page 2 Title......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 Tables......Page 7 Contributors......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 9 Abbreviations......Page 10 Introduction......Page 16 Divergencies: the power of national context......Page 20 Convergence: the power of economic integration......Page 23 Trade union decline......Page 26 Tertiarization......Page 27 Globalization......Page 28 Post-Fordism......Page 30 The failure of concertation......Page 31 The impact of the social programme of the European Union......Page 32 Conclusions......Page 34 2 Approaches to the contemporary role of trade unions......Page 36 An enterprise-level, partnership-oriented focus......Page 39 A qualitative rather than quantitative bargaining agenda......Page 40 Intervention at a political level......Page 42 A greater responsiveness to member and constituency needs......Page 43 The development of supranational activity......Page 46 Concluding comments......Page 53 The regulation of trade unions: institutional framework......Page 56 Union recognition......Page 59 Trade union structure and organization......Page 61 The ideological orientation of the trade unions and their links with political parties......Page 63 Trade union membership......Page 64 Collective bargaining......Page 66 Industrial conflict......Page 68 Notes......Page 69 Introduction......Page 72 European electronics in a world context......Page 73 Globalization......Page 75 Subsectoral differences......Page 78 Conclusion......Page 80 The management human resource agenda......Page 81 Flexibility......Page 82 Individualism v collectivism......Page 83 Conclusion......Page 86 Trade union organization and density......Page 87 Collective bargaining coverage......Page 92 Summary of the problems faced by the unions in the electronics sector......Page 95 The employer relationship......Page 97 The bargaining agenda......Page 102 Political involvement......Page 108 Relations with the membership......Page 110 Supranational activity and organization......Page 116 Conclusions......Page 118 Notes......Page 119 Introduction......Page 122 The European context......Page 123 Trade......Page 124 Structure of the industry......Page 125 Distribution......Page 126 Conclusions......Page 127 The management human resource agenda......Page 129 Trade union organization and density......Page 130 Collective bargaining coverage......Page 134 Summary of the problems faced by trade unions in the food manufacturing sector......Page 137 The employer relationship......Page 138 The bargaining agenda......Page 146 Political involvement......Page 149 Relations with the membership......Page 152 Supranational activity and organization......Page 154 Conclusions......Page 155 Note......Page 157 The world and European context......Page 158 The deregulation process......Page 160 Concentration......Page 162 Productivity......Page 163 Developments in information technology......Page 164 Employment trends in banking......Page 165 Future trends......Page 166 The management human resource agenda......Page 167 Organization......Page 168 Density......Page 171 Collective bargaining coverage......Page 173 Summary of the main problems faced by the unions in the banking sector......Page 175 A constructive dialogue-based relationship?......Page 177 Decentralization......Page 179 Recognition......Page 180 The impact of outsourcing and the growth of direct banking on union-employer relations......Page 181 The bargaining agenda......Page 182 Pay bargaining......Page 183 Job security......Page 184 Casualization......Page 186 Flexibility......Page 187 Training......Page 188 Political involvement......Page 189 Recruitment and organization......Page 191 Inter-union relations......Page 194 Supranational activity and organization......Page 196 Conclusions......Page 198 Notes......Page 199 Introduction......Page 200 The extent of convergence in public management......Page 201 Decentralizing responsibilities......Page 202 Reducing labour costs......Page 203 Conclusion......Page 204 Trade union structure and organization......Page 205 Union representativeness......Page 208 Collective bargaining coverage......Page 210 Summary of the problems faced by the unions in central administration......Page 212 The employer relationship......Page 213 The bargaining agenda......Page 217 Political involvement......Page 220 Relations with the membership......Page 222 Supranational activity and organization......Page 227 Conclusions......Page 228 Notes......Page 229 Convergence/divergence?......Page 230 Contemporary role of trade unions......Page 234 Strategic responses?......Page 237 Implications for the unions......Page 239 References......Page 242 Index......Page 252 Economics, Finance, Business & Industry Book Cover 1 Half-Title 2 Title 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Tables 7 Contributors 8 Acknowledgements 9 Abbreviations 10 Introduction 16 1 The convergence/divergence debate in comparative industrial relations 20 Divergencies: the power of national context 20 Convergence: the power of economic integration 23 Recent developments in the trade union context 26 Trade union decline 26 Tertiarization 27 Globalization 28 Post-Fordism 30 The failure of concertation 31 The impact of the social programme of the European Union 32 Conclusions 34 2 Approaches to the contemporary role of trade unions 36 An enterprise-level, partnership-oriented focus 39 A qualitative rather than quantitative bargaining agenda 40 Intervention at a political level 42 A greater responsiveness to member and constituency needs 43 The development of supranational activity 46 Concluding comments 53 3 The national industrial relations contexts 56 The regulation of trade unions: institutional framework 56 Union recognition 59 Trade union structure and organization 61 The ideological orientation of the trade unions and their links with political parties 63 Trade union membership 64 Collective bargaining 66 Industrial conflict 68 Conclusions 69 Notes 69 4 Electronics 72 Introduction 72 The economic environment of the sector 73 European electronics in a world context 73 Globalization 75 Subsectoral differences 78 Employment 80 Conclusion 80 The management human resource agenda 81 Flexibility 82 Production methods 83 Individualism v collectivism 83 Enhancement of human capital 86 Conclusion 86 The industrial relations context 87 Trade union organization and density 87 Collective bargaining coverage 92 Summary of the problems faced by the unions in the electronics sector 95 Trade union responses 97 The employer relationship 97 The bargaining agenda 102 Political involvement 108 Relations with the membership 110 Supranational activity and organization 116 Conclusions 118 Notes 119 5 Food manufacturing 122 Introduction 122 The economic environment of the sector 123 The global environment 123 The European context 123 Changing consumer preferences 124 Trade 124 Structure of the industry 125 Distribution 126 Employment 127 Conclusions 127 The management human resource agenda 129 The industrial relations context 130 Trade union organization and density 130 Collective bargaining coverage 134 Summary of the problems faced by trade unions in the food manufacturing sector 137 Trade union responses 138 The employer relationship 138 The bargaining agenda 146 Political involvement 149 Relations with the membership 152 Supranational activity and organization 154 Conclusions 155 Note 157 6 Banking 158 Introduction 158 The economic environment of the sector 158 The world and European context 158 The deregulation process 160 The impact of deregulation 162 Concentration 162 Productivity 163 Developments in information technology 164 Employment trends in banking 165 Future trends 166 The management human resource agenda 167 The industrial relations context 168 Trade union organization and density 168 Organization 168 Density 171 Collective bargaining coverage 173 Summary of the main problems faced by the unions in the banking sector 175 Trade union responses 177 The union-employer relationship 177 A constructive dialogue-based relationship? 177 Decentralization 179 Recognition 180 The impact of outsourcing and the growth of direct banking on union-employer relations 181 The bargaining agenda 182 Pay bargaining 183 Job security 184 Casualization 186 Flexibility 187 Training 188 Political involvement 189 Relations with the membership 191 Recruitment and organization 191 Inter-union relations 194 Supranational activity and organization 196 Conclusions 198 Notes 199 7 Central government administration 200 Introduction 200 The economic environment of the sector 201 The extent of convergence in public management 201 Decentralizing responsibilities 202 Reducing labour costs 203 Conclusion 204 The industrial relations context 205 Trade union structure and organization 205 Union representativeness 208 Collective bargaining coverage 210 Summary of the problems faced by the unions in central administration 212 Trade union responses 213 The employer relationship 213 The bargaining agenda 217 Political involvement 220 Relations with the membership 222 Supranational activity and organization 227 Conclusions 228 Notes 229 8 Conclusions 230 Introduction 230 Convergence/divergence? 230 Contemporary role of trade unions 234 Strategic responses? 237 Implications for the unions 239 References 242 Index 252

this Volume:
* Explores The Extent To Which European Industrial Relations Systems Are Converging
*explores What Has Been The Unions' Reaction To Changes In The Economic Environment

• Includes Studies From Key Sectors: Electronics, Food Manufacturing, Banking And Public Administration

• Compares Trade Unions In These Sectors In Five Of Europes Most Important Economies: Germany, The Uk, Spain, Italy And Denmark

booknews

six British And Spanish Social Scientists Examine The Increasingly Hostile Environment The European Labor Unions Have Faced In The Past Two Decades, The Problems It Poses For The Unions, And The Responses They Have Been Developing. They Emphasize The Unions As Actors In Industrial Relations, Correcting The Standard Perception Of Them As Mere Outcomes Of Other Contending Forces. Drawing Data From The Same Four Industrial Sectors In Five Countries, They Make Links With The Discussion On The Degree Of Convergence In European Industrial Relations, And Test The Strategic Nature Of Union Responses Against Models Proposed By Other Writers. Annotation C. Book News, Inc., Portland, Or (booknews.com)

This volume:
* explores the extent to which European Industrial Relations systems are converging
*explores what has been the unions' reaction to changes in the economic environment
* includes studies from key sectors: electronics, food manufacturing, banking and public administration
* compares trade unions in these sectors in five of Europes most important economies: Germany, the UK, Spain, Italy and Denmark
Exploring the extent to which European industrial relations are converging, this volumes includes studies from the key sectors of electronics, food manufacturing, public administration and banking, across Germany, the UK, Spain, Italy and Denmark Trade unions in the European Union face an increasingly hostile environment, conditioned by growing globalization and structural changes in the European economies. This book considers the responses unions have been developing. During the last two decades, trade unions in the European Union have faced an increasingly hostile environment, conditioned by growing globalization and structural changes in the contemporary European economies.