1st Edition

European Union - European Industrial Relations? Global Challenge, National Development and Transitional Dynamics

Edited By Wolfgang Lecher, Hans-Wolfgang Platzer Copyright 1998

    This book explores the prospects for the emergence of a distinctly European pattern of industrial relations, in which the European-level organisations representing employers and trade unions gain in importance vis-a-vis their national organisations. In particular, the impact of the 'Social Chapter' to the Maastricht Treaty is considered. The study also considers the likelihood of European-level collective bargaining, and what effect mandatory European Works Councils might have on existing national systems of employee representation, and offers a trilateral comparison between industrial relations in Europe, North America and Japan.

    Preface Introduction Wolfgang Lecher / Hans-Wolfgang Platzer Part 1 TOWARDS EUROPEAN INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS? 1. On Course for European Labour Relations? The Prospects for Social Dialogue in the European Union Dirk Buda 2. National Industrial Relations and the Prospects for European Collective Bargaining Berndt Keller 3. Free Collective Bargaining - Post-Maastricht Martin Coen 4. The Persistence of Differences in National Industrial Relations Systems in Europe Klaus Armingeon 5. Industrial Relations and European Integration Patterns, Dynamics and Limits of Transnationalisation Hans-Wolfgang Platzer PART II TRANSNATIONAL INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS AND EUROPEAN COLLECTIVE BARGAINING Views of the Actors, Preconditions and Structures UNITED KINGDOM 1. European Collective Bargaining - the View from the Engineering Employers Peter Reid 2. The TUC in Europe David Reid 3. Europe and the CBI Pete Burgess GERMANY 4. European Industrial Relations: an Employer Viewpoint Alexander Klak 5. Collective Bargaining in the European Union: the Standpoint of IG Metal Michael Blank EUROPEAN UNION 6. The European Trades Union Confederation (ETUC) Willi Buschak/Volker Kallenbach 7. European Collective Bargaining at Sectoral Level. Perspectives from the European Metalworkers' Federation (EMF) Barbara Gerstenberger / Bert Thierron 8. The European Public Sector Employers (CEEP) Werner Ellerkmann 9. The Union of Industry and Employer Associations in Europe (UNICE) Renate Hornung-Draus PART III EUROPEAN WORKS COUNCILS European Industrial Relations at Company-level 1. European Works Councils: an Assessment of French Initiatives Udo Rehfeldt 2. European Works Councils: the Role of the Negotiated Option Paul Marginson 3. European Works Councils: Experiences and Perspectives Wolfgang Lecher PART IV USA JAPAN EUROPE A TRILATERAL COMPARISON 1. US Labour Relations and the North American Free Trade Area Christoph Scherrer 2. The Debates on the Social Dimension in the North American Free Trade Agreement Norbert Malanowski 3. Industrial Relations and Collective Bargaining in Japan A challenge for Europe? Wolfgang Lecher

    Biography

    Wolfgang Lecher, Hans-Wolfgang Platzer