Sustaining or abandoning ‘social peace’? Strike developments and trends in Europe since the 1990s

"Providing a simple quantitative overview and a short macro-comparative analysis of strike activity in Europe since the 1990s, this working paper assesses whether three strike trends observed in the 1990s continued in the next decade. First of all, there was a continued drop in strike activity...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Vandaele, Kurt
Institution:ETUI-European Trade Union Institute
Format: TEXT
Language:English
Published: Brussels 2011
ETUI
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.labourline.org/KENTIKA-19177835124919950179-Sustaining-or-abandoning-‘soci.htm
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author Vandaele, Kurt
author_facet Vandaele, Kurt
collection Library items
description "Providing a simple quantitative overview and a short macro-comparative analysis of strike activity in Europe since the 1990s, this working paper assesses whether three strike trends observed in the 1990s continued in the next decade. First of all, there was a continued drop in strike activity measured by days not worked due to strikes. Relative ‘labour quiescence’ was thus also the underlying feature of the 2000s in Europe. Secondly, the rank order in the European ‘strike league table’ shows remarkable stability over a 20-year period. Albeit with a tendency towards convergence, possible future dynamics of workers’ collective action and its meaning will thus almost certainly continue to vary across Europe. Finally, politically motivated mass strikes and demonstrations, especially in the public sector, directed against (planned) government action and legislation to alter employment law were on the increase in the 2000s, with noteworthy effects due to the current socioeconomic crisis. However, it remains to be seen whether an increase in public sector strikes, commonly defensive in nature and seeking to maintain existing employment regulations, will change the continued proliferation of neoliberal policies or stimulate trade union revitalisation. "
format TEXT
geographic EU countries
id 19177835124919950179_0e517502014d4358a8f220d0c845f296
institution ETUI-European Trade Union Institute
is_hierarchy_id 19177835124919950179_0e517502014d4358a8f220d0c845f296
is_hierarchy_title Sustaining or abandoning ‘social peace’? Strike developments and trends in Europe since the 1990s
language English
physical 52 p.
Paper
Digital
publishDate 2011
publisher Brussels
ETUI
spellingShingle Vandaele, Kurt
economic recession
labour dispute
strike
trade union renewal
Sustaining or abandoning ‘social peace’? Strike developments and trends in Europe since the 1990s
thumbnail https://www.labourline.org/Image_prev.jpg?Archive=110677993885
title Sustaining or abandoning ‘social peace’? Strike developments and trends in Europe since the 1990s
topic economic recession
labour dispute
strike
trade union renewal
url https://www.labourline.org/KENTIKA-19177835124919950179-Sustaining-or-abandoning-‘soci.htm