Overstretching solidarity? Trade unions' national perspectives on the European economic and social model
Busemeyer, Marius ; Kellermann, Christian ; Petring, Alexander ; Stuchlik, Andrej
Transfer. European Review of Labour and Research
2008
14
3
Autumn
435-452
European employment strategy ; European social model ; social dialogue ; trade union attitude ; Lisbon strategy
Social policy
English
Bibliogr.
"The development of a European economic and social model poses serious challenges for European trade unions. On the one hand, demand for a strengthening of the social dimension of the European integration project is growing and it is realised that this cannot be achieved by unilateral action at the national level. On the other hand, the identities and organisational capacities of trade unions are deeply embedded in national welfare state institutions, limiting the leeway for a common European social model. This article presents empirical evidence from over 100 interviews with trade union leaders and politicians from 17 EU Member States on trade unions' positions in various policy fields (economic, social and competition policies). The conclusion is that unions should reflect more critically on their embeddedness in national welfare state arrangements in order to move forward together towards the realisation of a Social Europe."
Digital;Paper
The ETUI is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the ETUI.