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The Future of IR analysis

The Future of IR analysis. Guy Van Gyes Industrial Relations and Social Dialogue Conference, Budapest, 16 April 2013. Questions to be tackled. What are the most significant changes in industrial relations practices, and which are likely to remain? 1

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The Future of IR analysis

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  1. The Future of IR analysis Guy Van Gyes Industrial Relations and Social Dialogue Conference, Budapest, 16 April 2013

  2. Questions to betackled • What are the most significant changes in industrial relations practices, and which are likely to remain? 1 • What are the main trends in industrial relations analysis and do we have the right tools and data for the purpose? 3 • What are likely to be the main issues which industrial relations analysts and social partners will need to address in the coming years? 2

  3. Question 1: CHANGES

  4. Socialdialogue more and more seen as a dinosaurby power elite

  5. 1. Crisis context • Lesswork = lesschoice = more insecurity • Definitebreakthrough – European level of socio-economicgovernance • Beggar-the-neighbourpolicies • Germanwage dumping leadership • Dismantling (?) of Southern model of socialdialogue • Flexibilisationpolicies are on the riseagain (East & South), notflexicurity • Easing of dismissal procedures • Removingbarriersfortemporarycontracts • Liberalisering working time regulation • More strictrulessicknessleave

  6. Employmentrelationship = inherentlycontradictions ECONOMIC EXCHANGE POWER RELATIONSHIP SD = democratisationbyinstitutionalisation (values, rules, norms IR as policy field alwaysbethere in a Europeanmarketeconomy The question is howmuch and what kind of socialdialogueaboutit?

  7. Input fromscience-basedanalysis • Developed SD is a keysocietal instrument against: • EU and national politics = risingdemocratic deficit • Risinginequality (cf. downwardwage trend) • Imbalances are growingbetween EU countries = of socialdialogue; gap betweenstrong and weak is increasing • Complementarityperspective: SD cannotplayitsrolealone, is part of complementarypolicies, institutions in otherdomains => • Institutionsagainstfinancialisationeconomy; long-termperspective in entrepeneurship

  8. Input fromscience-basedanalysis • Europeaneconomy is notdrivenbycost-competitiveness, butbyincome-led, wage-ledgrowth • Income of middle classes is key in the worldeconomy • Demandforunions is growing (gap betweendemand – notdelivering = decreasingmembership) • Micro-macroperspective is different: • Average wage is increasing, because of compositioneffects (low-wage jobs cut) • Downwardwagerigidity of individualwages is high in Belgium; macro-levelwageflexibilitycomparablewith more liberalcountrieslike UK

  9. Question 2: Challenges

  10. Is not a certainpolicytheoryreigningEurope the dinosaur? Solidarityperspective – noteverythingforsale at everyprice – socialdialogue as instrument forthishigh-roadstrategy

  11. Sustainabilityperspective • Prospective studies (notnostaligiclooking back) • What is in itforemployers’ side: securityperspective; macro-perspective • Focus onworkplacesocialdialogue • Role employee representation in workplaceinnovation • Trust factor in change; Strategicinvolvement: • EU wagecoordinationsupporting ‘sustainaible’ growth • Macro-economicrole a minimum Eurozone wagepolicythatlooks to inflation & productivity (function of automaticstabilizerslike minimum wage & automaticwageindexationimplemented at the right level) • Corporategovernance (cf. complementarities) • AssessmentEuropean Company Statute • Monitoring the alternatives • Individualjuridisation • Socialmovementoutside the socialdialogue • ‘Bad’ power practices (ignoringfundamentalrights)

  12. Question 3: TOOLS FOR ANALYSIS

  13. 3.Comparative toolsforanalysis • Keeping and strengtheninglinkedemployer-employeesurveys • Integration of EU agenciessurveys to somethingstronger & better • Harmonisation of data oncollectivelyagreedwages • I&C rights • What kind of financial and economicrightsreps have and how are theyused • Notlooking to structures, butpractices • Sociology of law

  14. Innovation – Evidence-based – Comparative data

  15. Thankyou

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