The Right to Bargain Collectively: an International Perspective on its Extent and Relevance

Abstract

Abstract: It is generally assumed that collective bargaining is a ‘good thing’, a worthwhile goal to be pursued in itself that provides benefits in both the economic and political areas. The aim of this paper is to look more closely at limitations to the right to bargain collectively in various countries and to define more clearly the role it can play, as well as its relevance as a generally applicable concept. After an attempt to provide a definition of collective bargaining, that is often missing in discussions, the paper examines the following points: the limited scope of collective bargaining as a process among others, the limited role assigned to it by many legal systems, and the obstacles that it may constitute to National Economic Policy. Moreover, the transformations in the process and substance of collective bargaining, that weaken its impact, are discussed, as well as ideological obstacles that stand in its way. Finally, the specific case of developing countries is considered. In conclusion, doubts are raised about whether the prospects for European collective bargaining are really as promising as was once thought.

Cite this work

No public copy is stored for this record, so only the metadata is cited.

Stored only when both papers are in the corpus — 3 citations exist upstream.