Defending institutional power? Unions’ positions towards the extension of collective agreements in Finland, Germany, and the Netherlands
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Wolfgang Günther
Wolfgang Günther has been working as a political scientist at the Institute of Political Science at the University of Leipzig, Germany. His research interests cover comparative industrial relations, collective bargaining, and welfare state research.
Abstract
Statutory bargaining extensions of collective agreements are an effective instrument to stabilise multi-employer bargaining. For unions, this means tensions between the logic of influence and membership. On the one hand, the extension constitutes a central institutional power resource. On the other hand, it might impede collective action if workers are covered without contributing. This article analyses unions’ preferences for extensions in Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, three countries that differ in union power and the trajectories of their bargaining institutions. The article has two findings. First, unions value extensions as a power resource because they prevent wage dumping. Second, union-supporting institutions counteract free-riding. Given new legislative efforts at the EU level, statutory extensions could become more important in the future.
About the author
Wolfgang Günther has been working as a political scientist at the Institute of Political Science at the University of Leipzig, Germany. His research interests cover comparative industrial relations, collective bargaining, and welfare state research.
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Appendix
List of interviews
Organisation e/a=employer association | Function | Sector | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Germany | ||||
GER1 | Union Ver.di | Union secretary Bavaria | Hairdressing, security services | 21/3/2016 |
GER2 | Union IG BAU | Policy advisor labour-market policy | Construction | 14/4/2016 |
GER3 | Union Ver.di | Union secretary Hesse | Hairdressing, security services | 15/4/2016 |
GER4 | Union Ver.di | Policy advisors collective bargaining, members bargaining committee | Services | 20/4/2016 |
GER5 | Central e/a BDA | Head wage and bargaining policy, member bargaining committee | Cross-sectororal | 27/4/2016 |
GER6 | e/a ZDB | Manager | Construction | 28/4/2016 |
GER7 | Union Ver.di | Head of department | Retail | 6/5/2016 |
GER8 | e/a ZDH | Policy advisor collective bargaining | Crafts | 10/5/2016 |
GER9 | Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs | Department Labour Law | 12/5/2016 | |
GER10 | e/a BDSW | Manager | Security services | 22/6/2016 |
GER11 | e/a HDE | Head department collective bargaining | Retail | 30/6/2016 |
GER12 | Union IG Metall | Union secretary | Electrical crafts | 6/7/2016 |
GER13 | e/a ZVDH | Head department collec- tive bargaining | Electrical crafts | 6/7/2016 |
GER14 | Union federation DGB | Policy advisor bargaining coordination, member bargaining committee | Cross-sectoral | 26/7/2016 |
GER15 | Union federation DGB | Former head bargaining coordination, former member bargaining committee | Cross-sectoral | 28/7/2016 |
Finland | ||||
FIN1 | Union ERTO | Chairman | Special services | 1/2/2017 |
FIN2 | e/a MARA | Head department labour-market policy | Hotels and restaurants | 2/2/2017 |
FIN3 | e/a PALTA | Senior advisor member services | Services, logistics, telecommunication, cleaning | 2/2/2017 |
FIN4 | e/a Kaupan liitto | Policy advisor labour-market policy | Retail | 2/2/2017 |
FIN5 | e/a Technology Industries | Head department collective bargaining | Electrotechnics, engineering, metal, information | 3/2/2017 |
FIN6 | e/a RT | Policy advisor collective bargaining | Construction | 3/2/2017 |
FIN7 | Union Metalli Liitto | Head legal affairs | Metal and technology | 6/2/2017 |
FIN8 | Union Federation SAK | Legal advisor labour conditions | Cross-sectoral | 6/2/2017 |
FIN9 | Union Rakennusliitto | Vice-chairman | Construction | 7/2/2017 |
FIN10 | Ministry of Social Affairs and Health | Secretariat extension commission | 7/2/2017 | |
Netherlands | ||||
NL1 | e/a AWVN | Policy advisors collective bargaining | Cross-sectoral | 12/12/2016 |
NL2 | Social-Economic Council | Policy advisor economic policy | 12/12/2016 | |
NL3 | Labour Foundation | General secretary | 13/12/2016 | |
NL4 | e/a ABU | Vice managing director, policy advisor labour conditions | Temporary agencies | 21/3/2017 |
NL5 | e/a KHN Nederland | Policy advisor bargaining | Hotels, restaurants, catering | 21/3/2017 |
NL6 | e/a Bouwend Nederland | Policy advisor legal affairs | Construction | 22/3/2017 |
NL7 | Union FNV Flex | Collective bargainer | Temporary agencies, cross-sectoral | 23/3/2017 |
NL8 | Union CNV | Vice-chairman, policy advisor legal affairs | Cross-sectoral | 23/3/2017 |
NL9 | Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs | Department labour law and collective bargaining | 27/3/2017 |
© 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Inhalt
- Editorial: Trade Unions and Social Policy in the Process of European Integration
- Opportunities and Traps for Trade Unions in European Employment Policy Initiatives
- Defending institutional power? Unions’ positions towards the extension of collective agreements in Finland, Germany, and the Netherlands
- From ‘Protecting Indigenous Workers’ towards Protecting Labour Standards?
- Competitive Europeanisation, Transnational Production and a Multiscalar Perspective on Social Policy in Europe
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Inhalt
- Editorial: Trade Unions and Social Policy in the Process of European Integration
- Opportunities and Traps for Trade Unions in European Employment Policy Initiatives
- Defending institutional power? Unions’ positions towards the extension of collective agreements in Finland, Germany, and the Netherlands
- From ‘Protecting Indigenous Workers’ towards Protecting Labour Standards?
- Competitive Europeanisation, Transnational Production and a Multiscalar Perspective on Social Policy in Europe