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Arbeitsbeziehungen

Gewerkschaften, Arbeitgeberorganisationen und Behörden spielen eine Rolle bei der Governance der Arbeitsbeziehungen. Sie sind miteinander verbundene Teile der auf europäischer, nationaler, sektoraler, regionaler und auf Unternehmensebene bestehenden Systeme. Angesichts von Technologien und Arbeitsformen, die sich in einem ständig wandelnden wirtschaftlichen Umfeld entwickeln, waren die Systeme der Arbeitsbeziehungen in den vergangenen Jahren mit kritischen Herausforderungen konfrontiert.

In diesem Zusammenhang hat die Europäische Kommission 2015 einen „Neustart für den sozialen Dialog“ in Europa auf den Weg gebracht. In einer gemeinsamen Erklärung von Juni 2016 betonten die Kommission, der Rat der Europäischen Union und die Sozialpartner seine wesentliche Rolle als wichtiger Bestandteil der Beschäftigungs- und Sozialpolitik der EU.

Topic

Recent updates

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This 2024 annual review of minimum wages provides a synopsis of minimum wage setting during 2023 in the EU27 and Norway. It reports in detail on the processes and outcomes...

26 Juni 2024
Publication
Research report

EU context

Tätigkeiten von Eurofound

Im Laufe von über 40 Jahren hat sich Eurofound zu einem wichtigen Kompetenzzentrum für die Beobachtung und Analyse von Trends bei den Arbeitsbeziehungen entwickelt. Dazu zählen Verbindungen zwischen dem sozialen Dialog auf europäischer und nationaler Ebene. Gestützt auf die Kenntnisse seines Netzwerks europäischer Korrespondenten in den 28 EU-Mitgliedstaaten sowie Norwegen hat die Stiftung die Entwicklungen in allen Mitgliedstaaten und in der EU insgesamt erfasst. 

Wichtige Beiträge

Eurofound hat eine Reihe von vergleichenden Analysen, Artikeln und Fallstudien in den 28 EU-Mitgliedstaaten und Norwegen im Bereich Arbeitsbeziehungen erstellt sowie regelmäßig aktualisierte Datenbanken zu verwandten Themen aufgebaut.

In einer vor Kurzem durchgeführten Studie werden die zentralen Dimensionen und Indikatoren, die für die Systeme der Arbeitsbeziehungen in Europa im 21. Jahrhundert von Bedeutung sind, erfasst und erörtert. Ein weiteres Forschungsthema war die Frage, wie die Sozialpartner in der EU und Norwegen auf neue Themen, Instrumente und innovative Konzepte eingegangen sind, um auf die zahlreichen neuen politischen, rechtlichen und sozialen Herausforderungen zu reagieren, die in den letzten Jahren entstanden sind.

Arbeitsentgelt und Arbeitszeit sind nach wie Bereiche von großem Interesse und werden jährlich überprüft. Ein Teilbereich der jüngsten Aktualisierung zum Arbeitsentgelt konzentriert sich auf die Höhe des gesetzlichen Mindestlohns in der EU, ein anderer auf die Tarifverhandlungen.

Seit 2006 führt Eurofound im Auftrag der Europäischen Kommission Studien zur Repräsentativität der europäischen Sozialpartnerorganisationen durch.

Ressourcen

Berichterstattung über Entwicklungen im Arbeitsleben

Eurofound bietet systematische und vergleichbare Daten zu nationalen Systemen der Arbeitsbeziehungen und Entwicklungen im Arbeitsleben durch Beobachtungs- und Berichterstattungsinstrumente, die sich auf Beiträge seines Netzwerks von europäischen Korrespondenten in den 28 EU-Mitgliedstaaten und Norwegen stützen.

 

Key outputs

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This report examines the average weekly working hours across Europe in 2021 and 2022. It covers important developments resulting from legislative reforms in collective bargaining at national or sectoral level...

24 Oktober 2023
Publication
Research report
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Der Bericht über Mindestlöhne im Jahr 2023 wurde vor dem Hintergrund einer beispiellosen Inflation in ganz Europa erstellt. Obwohl im Zuge der Inflation die Nominallöhne in vielen Ländern angeboten wurden...

29 Juni 2023
Publication
Research report
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In diesem Bericht werden jüngste Entwicklungen und aufkommende Praktiken bei Tarifverhandlungen und deren Ergebnisse, hauptsächlich im Privatsektor, untersucht. Erfasst wurden Tarifverhandlungssysteme in 10 EU-Mitgliedstaaten, wobei auf Basis von Interviews mit...

31 August 2022
Publication
Research report
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Im Rahmen ihres Auftrags, den Dialog zwischen Arbeitgebern und Arbeitnehmern zu fördern, überwacht und analysiert Eurofound seit über 40 Jahren die Entwicklungen der Systeme der Arbeitsbeziehungen auf EU-Ebene und in...

11 Dezember 2020
Publication
Flagship report

Current and ongoing research

 

Other ongoing work

    • Social dialogue in companies, particularly linkages that can be drawn between national and EU level, to better understand of cooperation mechanisms used in decision-making and implementation in multinational companies
    • Exploration of the role of national social partners in the European semester and analysis of quality and effectiveness of their involvement
    • Summary of discussions on capacity-building social dialogue to support a meaningful and effective social dialogue
    • A flagship report on industrial relations covering topics related to both social dialogue and working life developments, including updates on collectively agreed pay
    • Representativeness studies on a variety of sectors to provide the European Commission required information to assess the representativeness of European sectoral social partner organisations
    • Highlights of recent developments of selected features of working life in so called topical updates, with one featuring statutory minimum wages
    • Updated time series in EurWORK database of wages, working time and collective disputes
    • Updated time series and update on developments in collectively agreed pay
    • Exploring the feasibility for an Industrial Action Monitor

    Eurofound expert(s)

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    Ricardo Rodriguez Contreras is a research manager in the Working Life unit at Eurofound and focuses on comparative industrial relations, social dialogue and collective bargaining...

    Research manager,
    Working life research unit
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    Mária Sedláková is a research officer in the Working Life unit at Eurofound. She is responsible for drafting overview reports for sectoral representativeness studies, management...

    Research officer,
    Working life research unit
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    Victoria Cojocariu is a research support officer for the representativeness studies in the Working Life unit at Eurofound. She is responsible for the management of the research...

    Research support officer,
    Working life research unit
    Publications results (517)

    This 2024 annual review of minimum wages provides a synopsis of minimum wage setting during 2023 in the EU27 and Norway. It reports in detail on the processes and outcomes of setting the minimum wage rates for 2024 and beyond. It investigates the extent to which minimum wage earners were affected by

    26 June 2024

    Three years after the adoption of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), this report reviews the quality of the social partners’ involvement in 2023 in the ongoing implementation of reforms and investments funded by that initiative. It also examines the quality of their involvement in the prepa

    26 February 2024

    This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the furniture sector.

    08 December 2023

    Previous Eurofound research developed three complementary tools to examine the dynamics of industrial relations and compare how national industrial relations systems are faring in terms of quality and change over time.

    05 December 2023

    In the EU, non-compliance with statutory or negotiated minimum wages averages 6.93% or 1.3%, depending on the statistics used. The lowest national estimate is 0.01% in Belgium and the highest is 11.59% in Hungary.

    27 November 2023

    This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the woodworking sector.

    21 November 2023

    This study provides information to allow for an assessment of the representativeness of the national and supranational social partners at cross-industry level in the EU.

    09 November 2023

    This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the professional football sector.

    26 October 2023

    After a long period of price stability, inflation has made a remarkable comeback in the EU. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the energy crisis spurred by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and the disruption of the international supply chain, among other factors, have driven up the

    06 September 2023

    Der Bericht über Mindestlöhne im Jahr 2023 wurde vor dem Hintergrund einer beispiellosen Inflation in ganz Europa erstellt. Obwohl im Zuge der Inflation die Nominallöhne in vielen Ländern angeboten wurden, reichte dies in vielen Fällen nicht aus, um die Kaufkraft der Arbeitnehmer zu erhalten

    29 June 2023

    Online resources results (1688)

    Slovenia: Doctors' agreement could destabilise public sector salary system

    After six months of tough negotiations and industrial action by doctors, the government and the doctors’ trade union finally signed a collective agreement in March 2017. Doctors achieved most of their demands, which related to working standards as well as wages. The annual cost of the agreement has

    Finland: Latest working life developments – Q1 2017

    The effects of the decision by the Confederation of Finnish Industries EK to terminate most peak-level agreements with trade unions and a setback for employment policy reforms are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in

    Estonia: Latest working life developments – Q1 2017

    Sectoral collective bargaining in the healthcare sector, changes to the dispute resolution mechanism and equal treatment for men and women in the workplace are the main topics of interest in this article. This country update reports on the latest developments in working life in Estonia in the first

    Cyprus: Disputes continue on health scheme proposals

    Debate is continuing over a draft law to replace the existing public health scheme, which provides free healthcare only to patients with chronic or incurable diseases and/or who are on low incomes. Trade unions and employer organisations oppose proposals for insurance contributions, with the unions

    Belgium: A short analysis of ‘Peeters law’

    A law proposed by Kris Peeters, the Minister of Employment, Economy and Consumers, has been met with mixed reactions by the social partners. The law, adopted by the Chamber of Representatives in February, aims to allow more flexibility in work organisation in order to modernise the Belgian labour

    Poland: Government enacts radical education reform despite opposition

    Amidst widespread union opposition, Poland’s controversial education reform plan was signed into law by the President in January and will take effect from September. The reform sees a return to the former two-tier system, with a focus on vocational training. The Polish Teachers’ Union is still not

    Italy: New industrial relations rules for SMEs in manufacturing and services

    In November 2016, a new agreement reformed rules for industrial relations covering SMEs in the industry and service sectors, fine-tuning provisions on decentralised bargaining and paritarian institutions. It also introduces a system to assess unions’ representativeness.

    Italy: New collective bargaining agreement marks a turning point for industrial relations in the metalworking sector

    On 25 November 2016, in the wake of a long-standing dispute, the social partners in the metalworking sector signed a new national collective bargaining agreement . It features new provisions on wage-setting mechanisms and private welfare and union rights, which could influence collective bargaining

    Romania: New law aims to tackle wage inequities in labour market

    The Romanian government has proposed a new unitary pay law aimed at addressing the increasing wage imbalances across sectors. This article looks at the social partners’ views and the relevant regulations.

    Austria: Autumn collective bargaining rounds give real wage increases of up to 1%

    Austria’s annual autumn wage bargaining rounds resulted in nominal wage increases of 1%–2% (around 1% in real terms, correcting for inflation). Collective agreements and wage increases were negotiated in the metal industry, retail sector, public sector, in temporary agency work and in several


    Blogs results (18)
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    Minimum wages have risen significantly in 2022, as the EU Member States leave behind the cautious mood of the pandemic. However, rising inflation is eating up these wage increases, and only flexibility in the regular minimum wage setting processes may avoid generalised losses in purchasing power amo

    15 Juni 2022
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    In the context of the ongoing trend of a fall in collective bargaining coverage, and recent calls at EU level to promote collective bargaining coverage as an instrument to support fair and decent wages, new data from Eurofound’s fourth European Company Survey (ECS) show that two-thirds of workers (i

    28 Oktober 2020
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    The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is having drastic consequences for the world of work. In most European countries workers who are not delivering essential ‘frontline’ services are being asked to stay home. Unfortunately many are out of work, while many of those who are not are minimum-wage and low

    1 April 2020
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    As one of their ‘100 days in office’ initiatives, the new European Commission intends to propose an initiative for an EU minimum wage. The aim is that by 2024 every worker in the EU should earn a fair and adequate wage, no matter where they live.

    15 Januar 2020
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    Trade unions in many EU Member States face the issue of declining membership. This is a fundamental challenge for organised labour, but it is premature to speak about the redundancy unions: when it comes to important decisions affecting the workplace, restructuring being one, trade unions remain a

    20 November 2019
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    The International Labour Organization (ILO) met for the first time 100 years ago, and right at the top of the agenda for discussion for this new specialised UN agency was the 8-hour working day. This discussion subsequently resulted in the Hours of Work (Industry) Convention, which stated that ‘The

    12 November 2019
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    The European Platform Tackling Undeclared Work last year documented the case of a Dutch temporary work agency that hired workers of various nationalities to work for a construction company in Belgium. The wages were suspiciously low, and the Belgian Labour Inspectorate believed that EU law

    17 Juli 2019
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    The votes have been cast, tallied and declared and we can now see the political landscape of the new European Parliament. It is a complex picture: there has been growth of far-right and populist parties, but well short of what was projected, and at the same time there has been a boost for pro

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    Seniority entitlements have largely been on the decline since the 1990s, and have been gradually phased-out from legislation in Europe, as well as in collective agreements. However, it would be premature to dismiss seniority-based entitlements as a thing of the past, as they remain in force across E

    17 April 2019
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    In this blog piece, originally published in Social Europe, Karel Fric and Camilla Galli da Bino look at the issue of discrimination against men in the workplace in Europe, and the current lack of research in this area.

    1 Mai 2018

    Upcoming publications results (8)

    This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the graphical industry. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to be consulted, their role and effective participation

    July 2025

    This report reviews the quality of the national social partners’ involvement in the implementation of the reforms and investments shaping the digital and green transition in the context of national policymaking. These reforms and investments stem mainly from the Recovery and Resilience Facility.

    March 2025

    This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the extractive industries sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to be consulted, their role and effective par

    December 2024

    This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the construction sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to be consulted, their role and effective participatio

    December 2024

    This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the chemical sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to be consulted, their role and effective participation in

    December 2024

    This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the road transport sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to be consulted, their role and effective participat

    December 2024

    This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the postal and courier activities sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to be consulted, their role and effec

    November 2024

    This publication comprises individual country reports on developments in working life in each of the 27 EU Member States and Norway in 2023, based on national research and survey results.

    June 2024

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