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Industrial relations and social dialogue

Industrial relations and social dialogue is one of Eurofound's main operational activities for its 2025–2028 programming period. Building on the past 50 years of research, Eurofound continues to function as a centre of expertise for monitoring and analysing developments in industrial relations and social dialogue at European and national levels and promoting dialogue between management and labour.

Eurofound’s research priorities are shaped by the opportunities and challenges arising from four mega-drivers: demographic change, climate change, technological change and re-globalisation. In the area of industrial relations and social dialogue, the Agency also continues to monitor, report and analyse developments in this area at sector and, as far as feasible, company levels. 

This research activity responds to the need to support social dialogue and provide comparative data on national institutional settings and developments as well as European-level developments.

Topic

Recent updates

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National minimum wages, 2025

Eurofound publishes gross and nominal statutory minimum wages applicable in EU countries that have a statutory minimum wage.

Data Item

Eurofound research 2025

During 2025, Eurofound’s continues its regular reporting and monitoring of developments in industrial relations and social dialogue. Work continues on sectoral representativeness studies, at the request of the European Commission. Research also builds on the knowledge around the degree and form of the social partners’ involvement in national tripartite policymaking in the context of the European Semester.

Drawing on the expertise of the Network of Eurofound Correspondents, regular updating of the EU PolicyWatch database offers examples of collective agreements, company cases and other initiatives, and captures how national governments involve the social partners in policymaking.

In 2025, Eurofound begins preparation for the 2026 edition of the Tripartite Exchange Seminar, in cooperation with the relevant partners.

Topics of research include:

  • Minimum wages: Looking at how Member States have adapted their systems following the transposition of the Directive on adequate minimum wages in the European Union, including further experiences with pay transparency measures and an annual review of minimum wages
  • Working time: Monitoring developments, including regulation and outcomes
  • Involvement of the social partners: Social partners’ involvement in the governance of national public employment services and social security institutions in the EU
  • Collective bargaining: How collective bargaining can be promoted, the obstacles that could be removed, and the range of topics that are addressed in collective agreements
  • Caring for care services: Focusing on industrial relations aspects such as representation, collective bargaining and social dialogue in the sector
  • Representativeness studies: Various sectors
  • National reporting on industrial relations, social dialogue and working life
  • Working life country profiles update

What our experts say

...

We are there to support the dialogue between management and labour. And I think the data we draw together and the research we do is important, if it helps the actors themselves, to function better… A vibrant social dialogue is part of what you might call a social market economy, which is what the European Union is aiming to achieve.

Listen to our podcasts on issues around industrial relations and social dialogue

Eurofound Talks - A podcast series

 

Infographic: Industrial relations and social dialogue in the EU

Key challenges for industrial relations systems are changes in society, labour markets and the organisation of work.

Fewer than 1 in 3 EU workplaces with 10+ workers has some form of official employee representation.

See full infographic

Linking in with EU priorities

2025 marks the first year of the five-year period of the EU policy and legislative cycle for 2025–2029. The research and monitoring carried out in the area of industrial relations and social dialogue is relevant for a range of EU initiatives, such as:

  • the Council Recommendation and the Communication on strengthening social dialogue in the European Union
  • the implementation of the Directive on adequate minimum wages
  • the future of the European Works Councils
  • the Council Recommendation on access to social protection for workers and the self-employed
  • the involvement of the social partners in the European Semester and the recovery and resilience plans
  • the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan

Key outputs

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Living and working in Europe 2023

The post-pandemic recovery of Europe continued in 2023, with strong job creation despite subdued economic growth, against a background of rising geopolitical tension. Eurofound’s research over the year brought to...

2 Mayo 2024
Publication
Annual report
Publications results (542)

Social dialogue and conflict resolution in Cyprus (report)

This report is part of a series of projects from the Foundation which focuses on aspects of industrial relations in the run-up to enlargement. The national report for Cyprus is part of the second phase of a project on ‘Social dialogue and EMU’ carried out by the Foundation in 2002-3, in cooperation

22 March 2004
Publication
Research report
Industrial action
Industrial relations
Social dialogue
Industrial relations and social dialogue

The quality of industrial relations in the European public sector (summary)

This research, commissioned by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, reports on the quality of industrial relations in the public sector in five countries: France, Finland, Germany, Ireland, and Italy. The project has surveyed recent literature, collective

08 March 2004
Publication
Report summary
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

The Knowledge Society in Greece: Current situation and future trends (report)

In the context of its four-year work programme, Analysing and Anticipating Change to Support Socio-Economic Progress 2001-2004, the Foundation launched a project on 'European Knowledge Society (KS) foresights for living conditions, working conditions and industrial relations'. The purpose of this

13 February 2004
Publication
Research report
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

The Knowledge Society in Finland: Current situation and future trends (report)

In the context of its four-year work programme, Analysing and Anticipating Change to Support Socio-Economic Progress 2001-2004, the Foundation launched a project on 'European Knowledge Society (KS) foresights for living conditions, working conditions and industrial relations'. The purpose of this

05 February 2004
Publication
Research report
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

The Knowledge Society in Germany: Current situation and future trends (report)

In the context of its four-year work programme, Analysing and Anticipating Change to Support Socio-Economic Progress 2001-2004, the Foundation launched a project on 'European Knowledge Society (KS) foresights for living conditions, working conditions and industrial relations'. The purpose of this

05 February 2004
Publication
Research report
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Impact of ICT on the fishing industry: Two scenarios

The European Monitoring Centre on Change (EMCC), at the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, commissioned two scenarios relating to the fishing industry: Sustainable eFishing and Troubled waters. The aim was to assess the impact of information and communication

04 December 2003
Publication
Research report
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

EIRObserver (Issue 6/03)

The comparative supplement in this issue of EIRObserver is the first to focus exclusively on some of the new Member States, looking at the way in which labour disputes, both individual and collective, are resolved in Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia. The supplement looks at: individual dispute

17 November 2003
Publication
Other
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Industrial relations and employee financial participation (info sheet)

In 1999 the Foundation began a major research project on the nature and extent of financial participation in the EU. The first phase updated the legislative and financial practices in the Member States and the information contained in the European Commission's Pepper I and II reports. The second

24 October 2003
Publication
Information sheet
Industrial relations
Participation at work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Social dialogue and EMU in the acceding countries (report)

This report documents the industrial relations situation in all 10 acceding countries – Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia – as they prepare for Economic and Monetary Union. It is based on joint research carried out by the Foundation

21 October 2003
Publication
Research report
Social dialogue
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

EIRObserver (Issue 5/03)

The comparative supplement in this issue of EIRObserver focuses on the situation across the EU (plus Norway) with regard to one specific issue raised by the growth of ICT at work - the relationship between internet/e-mail use at work and respect for workers’ privacy. It examines: the European and

29 September 2003
Publication
Other
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Online resources results (1808)

Labour relations in cooperatives: the working partner issue

A long-running debate over the position of "working partners" in cooperatives - partners who also work in the organisation - has caused a dispute between Italian trade unions and cooperative associations, which came to a head when negotiations broke down in July 1997. We review the controversy and

27 Agosto 1997
Article
Employment status
Employee representation
Social dialogue
Pay and income
Working conditions
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Hospital administration and working conditions reform proposed

A public debate has begun in Portugal about the privatisation of public hospitals. Medical, paramedical and nursing unions have reacted largely negatively to proposed changes in the regulation of industrial relations, employment contracts and working conditions, and strikes were due in August

27 Agosto 1997
Article
Collective bargaining
Industrial action
Public services
Pay and income
Labour law
Working conditions
Industrial relations
Living conditions and quality of life
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

The TUC proposes an Organising Academy

In December 1993 the Trades Union Congress (TUC) stated its intention to become a campaigning organisation and abandoned much of its committee structure in favour of a series of "Task Groups", each dedicated to a single campaign issue. As part of this campaigning initiative, a New Unionism Task

27 Agosto 1997
Article
Employee representation
Social partners
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Collective bargaining in 1996

In June 1997, the tripartite National Collective Bargaining Commission examined the Ministry of Labour's 1996 annual report on collective bargaining in France. The study indicates progress in bargaining in a context marked by low growth in GDP, control of inflation and relative lethargy in domestic

27 Julio 1997
Article
Collective bargaining
Pay and income
Working time
Working conditions
Industrial relations
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Government's proposals for regulating employment and social protection

In July 1997, in the framework of its current process of social dialogue, the Greek Government presented its proposals for industrial relations reform and new forms of employment.

27 Julio 1997
Article
Labour market policies
Working time
Non-standard employment
Social dialogue
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

The debate on union unity is resumed

In May 1997, the executive committee of Italy's CGIL trade union confederation approved a plan to create a single union centre by 2000, a development welcomed by the CISL confederation. This article reviews the moves towards trade union unity and their background.

27 Julio 1997
Article
Social partners
Collective bargaining
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Social security reform under debate

A government committee has been set up in Portugal to examine the framework for reform of the country's social security system and to make proposals for change. Consultations with the social partners were launched in late June 1997.

27 Julio 1997
Article
Social protection
Social dialogue
Industrial relations
Social policies
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Trade union membership falls yet again

Total UK trade union membership stood at 7.2 million in 1996, a fall of 1.8 million since 1989, according to the 1996 Labour Force Survey (reported in "Trade union membership and recognition", Mark Cully and Stephen Woodland, Labour Market Trends, June 1997). This means that trade union membership

27 Julio 1997
Article
Employee representation
Social partners
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Tripartite agreement on Employment Alliance for eastern Germany

A year after the collapse of the tripartite "corporatist" attempt to revitalise the entire German economy (DE9702202F [1]), government, business and trade unions have succeeded in forging an alliance to boost economic growth, productivity and employment in eastern Germany. [1] www.eurofound.europa

27 Junio 1997
Article
Job creation
Social dialogue
Collective bargaining
Employment and labour markets
Industrial relations and social dialogue

The 1997 collective bargaining round in the German construction industry

The 1997 collective bargaining round for the 1.3 million employees in the German construction industry started on 27 February. In contrast to most branch-level bargaining, which takes place at regional level, negotiations in the construction industry are traditionally held at national level. The

27 Junio 1997
Article
Collective bargaining
Pay and income
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Blogs results (22)
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How to ensure adequate minimum wages in an age of inflation

Minimum wages have risen significantly in 2022, as the EU Member States leave behind the cautious mood of the pandemic. However, rising inflation is eating up these wage increases, and only flexibility in the regular minimum wage setting processes may avoid generalised losses in purchasing power amo

15 Junio 2022
Carlos Vacas‑Soriano
Blog
Pay and income
Minimum wage
Agreements
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
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Resumed EU Semester calls for better involvement of the social partners in implementing recovery and resilience plans

With the arrival of the month of May, the 2022 European Semester Spring Package is anticipated soon. After a transformative year in 2021, which saw the launch of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) under NextGenerationEU, the European Semester cycle has resumed its role as the reference frame

3 Mayo 2022
Ricardo Rodriguez Contreras
Blog
Social partners
European Pillar of Social Rights
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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Gender pay transparency: Advancing the cause through a truly European proposal

With its proposed directive on gender pay transparency, the European Commission has significantly bolstered the set of tools for delivering its objectives compared to those presented in its 2014 Recommendation. The proposed portfolio of measures addresses many shortcomings of the instruments that na

18 Junio 2021
Christine Aumayr-Pintar
Blog
Pay and income
Working conditions and sustainable work
Gender equality
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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Minimum wages rise again, but the pandemic puts a brake on their growth

Decision-makers approached minimum wage setting for 2021 cautiously due to the economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic. Despite this, nominal statutory minimum wages rose in most Member States and the UK, although at lower rates than in recent years.

8 Junio 2021
Carlos Vacas‑Soriano
Blog
Social dialogue
Pay and income
Working poor
Minimum wage
European Pillar of Social Rights
Labour market policies
Industrial relations and social dialogue
image_blog_collective_bargaining_28102020.png

New impetus to collective bargaining: Insights from the ECS

In the context of the ongoing trend of a fall in collective bargaining coverage, and recent calls at EU level to promote collective bargaining coverage as an instrument to support fair and decent wages, new data from Eurofound’s fourth European Company Survey (ECS) show that two-thirds of workers (i

28 Octubre 2020
Christine Aumayr-Pintar
Blog
Social dialogue
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations
Minimum wage
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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What Europe can learn from living-wage campaigns

The coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is having drastic consequences for the world of work. In most European countries workers who are not delivering essential ‘frontline’ services are being asked to stay home. Unfortunately many are out of work, while many of those who are not are minimum-wage and low

1 Abril 2020
John Hurley
Blog
COVID-19
Working poor
Working conditions and sustainable work
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations
Minimum wage
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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Fears and hopes around future minimum wages

As one of their ‘100 days in office’ initiatives, the new European Commission intends to propose an initiative for an EU minimum wage. The aim is that by 2024 every worker in the EU should earn a fair and adequate wage, no matter where they live.

15 Enero 2020
Christine Aumayr-Pintar
Blog
Pay and income
Industrial relations
Minimum wage
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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Restructuring: Do unions still matter?

Trade unions in many EU Member States face the issue of declining membership. This is a fundamental challenge for organised labour, but it is premature to speak about the redundancy unions: when it comes to important decisions affecting the workplace, restructuring being one, trade unions remain a p

20 Noviembre 2019
Sara Riso
Blog
Restructuring
Working conditions
Employee representation
Industrial relations
Employment and labour markets
Working conditions and sustainable work
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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100 years of 8-hour working days

The International Labour Organization (ILO) met for the first time 100 years ago, and right at the top of the agenda for discussion for this new specialised UN agency was the 8-hour working day. This discussion subsequently resulted in the Hours of Work (Industry) Convention, which stated that ‘The

12 Noviembre 2019
Nils Brandsma
Blog
Working time
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations
Industrial relations and social dialogue
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Member States still getting to grips with the single labour market

The European Platform Tackling Undeclared Work last year documented the case of a Dutch temporary work agency that hired workers of various nationalities to work for a construction company in Belgium. The wages were suspiciously low, and the Belgian Labour Inspectorate believed that EU law guarantee

17 Julio 2019
Helen Burke
Blog
Posted workers
Working conditions and sustainable work
Working conditions
Undeclared work
Fraudulent work
Labour and social regulation
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations
Upcoming publications results (10)

Representativeness study: Agriculture

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the agriculture sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to participate, be consulted and have the potential to

March 2026
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social partners
Social dialogue
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Representativeness study: Maritime transport

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the agriculture sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to participate, be consulted and have the potential to

December 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social partners
Social dialogue
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Representativeness study: Footwear

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the agriculture sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to participate, be consulted and have the potential to

November 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social partners
Social dialogue
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Representativeness study: Ports

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the agriculture sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to participate, be consulted and have the potential to

November 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social partners
Social dialogue
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Representativeness study: Tanning and leather

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the agriculture sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to participate, be consulted and have the potential to

October 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social partners
Social dialogue
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Collective bargaining beyond pay: An analysis of collective agreements in selected low-paid sectors

This report analyses and compares the content of 98 collective agreements across three low-wage sectors in 12 EU Member States. The project builds on Eurofound’s database of collective agreements related to low-paid workers, collected for the Agency’s pilot project on minimum wages.

October 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Agreements
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Representativeness of the European social partner organisations: Graphical sector

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the graphical industry. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to be consulted, their role and effective participation

September 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social dialogue
Social partners
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Industrial relations

Representativeness study: Temporary Agency Work

This study provides information allowing for an assessment of the representativeness of the actors involved in the European sectoral social dialogue committee for the agriculture sector. Their relative representativeness legitimises their right to participate, be consulted and have the potential to

August 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Representativeness
Social partners
Social dialogue
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Minimum wages in 2025: Annual review

The 2025 annual review of minimum wages provides a synopsis of minimum wage setting across the EU27 and Norway during 2024. It reports in detail on the processes and outcomes of setting the minimum wage rates for 2025 and beyond.

July 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Minimum wage
Pay and income
Industrial relations and social dialogue

Impact of national minimum wages on collective bargaining and wages for low-paid workers

Increases in national minimum wages can have various knock-on effects – they can, for instance, lead to wage rises more generally and can influence the social partners’ latitude in collective bargaining. This report examines how changes to national minimum wages affect collectively agreed and actual

June 2025
Forthcoming
Publication
Research report
Minimum wage
Collective bargaining
Industrial relations and social dialogue
Pay and income
Data results (11)

National minimum wages, 2025

Eurofound publishes gross and nominal statutory minimum wages applicable in EU countries that have a statutory minimum wage.

29 Enero 2025
Origen:
Minimum wages
Reference period:
2025

Degree of satisfaction with involvement in implementation of policies on economic and social cohesion, productivity and competitiveness, EU Member States, 2023

26 Febrero 2024

Main setting for involving the social partners in RRP implementation, EU Member States, 2023

26 Febrero 2024

Degree of satisfaction with involvement in implementation of policies on health, and economic, social and institutional resilience, EU Member States, 2023

26 Febrero 2024

Assessment of the evolution of quality of involvement in implementation of reforms and investments in the RRP since the establishment of the RRF, EU Member States, 2023

26 Febrero 2024

Degree of satisfaction with involvement in implementation of policies on the green transition and environmental sustainability, EU Member States, 2023

26 Febrero 2024

Degree of satisfaction regarding involvement in implementation of digital transition policies, EU Member States, 2023

26 Febrero 2024

Assessment of the potential influence of the measures and reforms included in the RRPs, EU Member States, 2023

26 Febrero 2024

Number of Member States that use each type of institutional setting for involving the social partners in RRP implementation

26 Febrero 2024

Degree of satisfaction with involvement in implementation of policies for the next generation, EU Member States, 2023

26 Febrero 2024

Disclaimer

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