Trade union cooperation on statutory minimum wages? A study of European trade union positions¹

Abstract

Legislation on minimum wages exists in most EU Member States, but European trade unions have very different views on it. Nordic unions are especially negative, whereas many other union organizations are strongly positive. The present article examines these differences, explores how they can be understood and discusses their possible consequences for transnational union cooperation on issues related to statutory minimum wages. It is primarily based on survey and interview data.

Trade Union Channels for Influencing European Union Policies

“…In addition, even if they have been strongly involved in European trade union cooperation and organization, the Nordic unions, and particularly the Swedish, have often taken a cautious stance in pursuing joint action and in developing cooperative structures in an attempt to defend their own system of industrial relations (Bengtsson, 2015;Bieler & Lindberg, 2011: 222;Busemeyer et al, 2008;Furåker & Bengtsson, 2013;Furåker & Lovén Seldén, 2013;Larsson, 2014;cf. Glassner & Vandaele, 2012;Gumbrell-McCormick & Hyman, 2013, p.…”

“…There is some comparative work relating to this issue, showing that trade unions not only face different challenges in different countries (GumbrellMcCormick & Hyman, 2013) but also that their views on how to influence EU policies varies: generally speaking Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian trade unions have a tradition of being more 'Eurosceptic' or 'defensive' than continental and southern trade unions. This has been shown, for example, through a hesitancy to give ETUC a strong mandate, and in their reluctance to the development of supra-national wage policies and regulations (e.g., Busemeyer et al, 2008;Furåker & Lovén Seldén, 2013;Glassner & Vandaele, 2012;Gumbrell-McCormick & Hyman, 2013). In addition, there have been differences between more 'activist' approaches among trade unions in the southern and some continental European countries -though with a great internal variation depending on ideology-and more 'constructive' or 'partnership'-oriented trade unions in the north and in the northern continental countries (Larsson, 2014;Mitchell, 2007).…”

Patterns of speech activity at ETUC Executive Committee meetings, 2005–2012

“…It may go without saying that they have a leading role at Executive Committee meetings and not least with respect to common activities such as demonstrations and European days of action. We should perhaps consider it more noteworthy that the Nordic unions have been quite active on some of the themes, in spite of their sceptical attitudes towards transnational union cooperation in Europe (Bieler, 2005(Bieler, , 2008Furåker and Lovén Seldén, 2013;Schulten, 2008: 434). This supports the assumption that a sceptical attitude requires a certain commitment to block undesirable initiatives.…”

“…This may express a concern for transnational trade union cooperation (Furåker and Bengtsson, 2013a;Furåker and Lovén Seldén, 2013;Glassner and Vandaele, 2012;Larsson, 2014). Strong commitment to such cooperation probably triggers active participation at meetings.…”

“…However, what is particularly interesting is that there are regime-related differences in attitudes towards trade union cooperation in Europe. Thus, unions in the North tend to be rather sceptical (to safeguard their own industrial relations regime), whereas those in the Centre-West and the South are clearly positive (Bieler, 2005(Bieler, , 2008Bengtsson, 2013a, 2013b;Furåker and Lovén Seldén, 2013;Glassner and Vandaele, 2012;Larsson, 2014;Lovén Seldén, 2014;Schulten, 2008: 434-435). In the West and the Centre-East, we also find more reluctant attitudes, but not entirely negative.…”