Transfer stimulates dialogue between the European trade union movement and the academic and research community. It contributes research findings on issues of strategic relevance for trade unions, in particular with regard to developments at the European level. Transfer publishes original peer-reviewed research on issues such as new developments in industrial relations, social policy, and labour market developments.
Volume 9 Issue 2, Summer 2003
There is broad agreement both in academia and among the social actors that the Europeanisation and strengthening of industrial relations is essential to maintain the European social model within the context of increasing European integration and economic globalisation.
In 1999, at its 9th Congress in Helsinki, the ETUC adopted a resolution on Building a European system of industrial relations. The ETUC has focused on the need for increased social regulation at European level to ensure the harmonisation of living and working standards, the importance of strengthening European social dialogue at the cross-sectoral and sectoral levels, the need for coordinated collective bargaining and the development of the European works councils. In the light of the forthcoming 10th ETUC Congress in Prague, this issue of Transfer presents empirical and theoretical arguments on the extent and direction of the Europeanisation of industrial relations to date and potential obstacles and opportunities for further development.
