Collective bargaining as the First Pillar of a European Model of Participation

Abstract

Collective bargaining and three forms of participation (direct, indirect, and financial) taken together, constitute four pillars of a European Model of Participation. The political debate in the European Commission about how to adjust participation to the challenges of the 21'st century caused the emergence of the Model, which is based on flexibility, innovation, utilisation of information technology, job security, life-long learning, enhanced education and training. The main aim of the paper is to describe strength of collective bargaining as the first pillar of the Model and main determinants of collective bargaining existence in the EU Member States. The article also attempts to present the latest changes in the field of collective bargaining connected with a pressure of global competition and a demand for wide-ranging flexibility. As the collective bargaining is closely related to trade unions activities, therefore, the paper also shows the diflerences in the structure of trade union confederations in the EU Member States and changes in union membership over recent decades.