Sectoral social dialogue and European social policy : first empirical analysis and prospects for development

Abstract

"The new social dialogues promoted by the Social Protocol of the Maastricht Treaty on European Union could be considered, on the one hand, as instruments of European social policy; on the other hand, it could be argued, they mirror the range and degree of the Europeanisation of industrial relations. In contrast to the most recent literature, this article focuses not on the interprofessional, but exclusively on the sectoral variant of social dialogue. The empirical analysis of its constraints and oportunities is based on qualitative case studies of selected sectors (engineering, construction, traffic, public sector). Our results reveal significant differences between as well as within sectors. In particular, social dialogues take place within different service sectors. Furthermore, different problems of the sectoral application of the Social Protocol are analysed (further decentralisation of Sectoral Dialogues, improved coordination of interests, implementation of sectoral framework agreements and future role of the Commission). In the conclusion, different possible future scenarios are discussed." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Cite article

Keller, B. & Sörries, B. (1999): Der sektorale soziale Dialog und Europäische Sozialpolitik. Erste Empirie und Entwicklungsperspektiven. In: Mitteilungen aus der Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung, Vol. 32, No. 1, p. 118-127.