Topic 4 - Industrial relations/Labour relations

Question 1

Which are the 4 elements of industrial relations systems?

Answer 1

Context
Actors
Rules
Ideologies 
(Tänk CARI)

Question 2

There is a diversity in national industrial relations models, which are the 3 different models of industrial relations?

Answer 2

Social-democratic
Anglo-saxon/Liberal
Mediterranean

Question 3

Mention some characteristics of the Social-democratic model of industrial relations.

Answer 3

• Membership of trade unions are important
• High level of regulation
• A relatively centralized system

(In the Scandinavian countries for example)

Question 4

Mention some characteristics of the Anglo-saxon/Liberal model of industrial relations.

Answer 4

• Low level of regulation
• Low levels of trade union membership
• Decentralized system, Collective agreements are worked out most of the time at company level

(This model has been dominant in the UK and also in Ireland)

Question 5

Mention some characteristics of the Mediterranean model of industrial relations.

Answer 5

• Strong tradition of opposition to the State
• High level of regulation but weak effectiveness
• Trade unions rely more than in other countries on radical and political mobilization

(Dominant model for industrial relations in the southern European countries)

Question 6

Collective bargaining can be considered in both narrow and broad terms. What is collective bargaining in narrow terms?

Answer 6

A means of determining pay and conditions of employment.