Introduction

The history of social dialogue and of management – labour relations in Europe is an odd story. Some would even say that the very idea of a social model and social dialogue in Europe is a miracle, or a mirage, when we have so many different systems and situations in the fifteen member countries. And yet this model exists and the dialogue is there, although all is not perfect, Community social policy is far from sufficient to address the issues at hand, and Europe-wide collective bargaining is quite modest, whether at the inter-branch or sectoral levels.

Collective bargaining practices are different in the Member States of the European Union, but far from being a handicap this diversity is a resource derived from over 100 years of varied but converging history and social cultures.

In certain countries such as Spain, France, Belgium and Italy bargaining takes place at different levels – national and confederal, federal and sectoral and locally in companies. In other countries, such as Germany, regional sectoral negotiations are predominant, but the first agreement reached in a region (the Land) serves as a reference for other regions, whence the importance of a national federal strategy. In other countries, such as Great Britain, company-level bargaining is the general rule.

Whatever the culture of negotiation in a country, three dimensions are present: national, sectoral and company level within its territory.