BARCOM REPORT 2: Bargaining Systems in the Commerce Sector

Collective bargaining is an important instrument in wage-setting processes, but lacks underpinning with empirical data. Little is known about what exactly is agreed upon in collective bargaining. Few countries maintain databases with coded collective agreements; and agreements are coded for different topics and levels of detail. Attempts to discuss bargaining results at EU level are hampered by the lack of systematic data-collection of agreements. Social partners perceive an increasing need for cross-country comparisons, i.e., because of growing importance of foreign direct investment in EU member states. Therefore, EU-level social partners in commerce, UNI Europa and EuroCommerce, have expressed their interest in a study of content of collective agreements negotiated by their members at national level. Report 2 studies how particular institutional attributes in sector-specific bargaining systems relate to each other. The findings are quantified in an index of constructive industrial relations (CIR-index). Supported by the European Commission, DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, VS/2016/0106