The Tower of Power: Building Innovative Organizations Through Social Dialogue

Abstract

This book explores managers' perceptions about ERs and the industrial relations at national, sectorial and organizational level in 11 European countries. After showing and discussing the results in each country, this chapter offers a general picture of the outcomes at European level. Here we present a summary of good practices for achieving cooperative, innovative and constructive industrial relations, based on the factors included in the NEIRE model. These suggestions, offered by the HR managers from the different countries participating in this study, illustrate the wishes of one side of the table and bring us one step further to better understand the current European industrial relations system and their expectations, concerns, and objectives.Because of the crisis, we have to lay people off. This doesn't make the WC or the unions happy, so that makes the current situation difficult. However, we are able to keep a good relationship with them by ensuring that these measures are implemented in a fair way (Personnel manager, international bank)The first two authors contributed equally to this chapter.

‘Beyond the clash?’: Union–management partnership through social dialogue on sustainable HRM. Lessons from Belgium

“…Altmeyer (2005) also distinguishes Germany and the Netherlands from Belgium, arguing that the latter fits into the ‘French cluster’ of countries, in which worker representation bodies are dominated by active and politicized trade unions. Also, according to the large-scale NEIRE study (García et al, 2015), countries such as Germany and the Netherlands exhibit a more cooperative pattern (relatively high on cooperation, and relatively low on competition), while Belgium and France tend towards a more competitive pattern, with competitive behavior more prevalent than cooperative behavior. This makes the Demographic Fund project particularly interesting.…”

Mediation and Conciliation in Collective Labor Conflicts in Romania

“…The law on labor disputes (no. 168/1999) states that collective labor conflicts may be divided into conflicts of rights, that arise from the violation of an existing right of one or both of the parties involved, and conflicts of interest, that arise following a difference of opinion appeared in the collective bargaining phase between the parties (García, Pender, Elgoibar, Munduate & Euwema, 2015). Conflicts of rights are resolved in court, based on the rules of labor jurisdiction.…”

Improving social dialogue: What employers expect from employee representatives

“…Employers in most countries expressed appreciation for ERs, however were concerned about their level of competence and their attitudes towards innovation and change (Garcia et al, 2015). As in most countries, ERs are now closely related to unions and are trained by unions, and employers perceive that unions should be more adaptive to economic developments, including at organisational level.…”