What next for unions in Central and Eastern Europe? Invisibility, departure and the transformation of industrial relations

Abstract

This article examines union revitalization in Central and Eastern Europe, focusing on two countries: Hungary and Latvia. Trade unions have not only had to cope with a declining membership base, but have also had to respond to austerity programmes and government cuts in public sector employment. We argue that the inability of unions to provide a strong voice for alternative policies to the current neoliberal orthodoxy has been driven by a declining membership base, but also by weakened social dialogue mechanisms, limited industrial representation and an ageing membership profile, exacerbated by net outward migration in recent years. However, we find that unions in Latvia and Hungary have responded differently to these issues.

Publication DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0959680116677141
Divisions: College of Business and Social Sciences > Aston Business School > Economics, Finance & Entrepreneurship
College of Business and Social Sciences > School of Social Sciences & Humanities > Aston Centre for Europe
Uncontrolled Keywords: Hungary,industrial relations,labour market,Latvia,migration,trade,unions,Business, Management and Accounting(all),Strategy and Management,Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management,Management of Technology and Innovation
Publication ISSN: 0959-6801
Last Modified: 25 Mar 2024 08:19
Date Deposited: 30 Nov 2016 08:55
Full Text Link:
Related URLs: http://www.scop ... tnerID=8YFLogxK (Scopus URL)
PURE Output Type: Article
Published Date: 2017-03-01
Published Online Date: 2016-11-28
Accepted Date: 2016-10-11
Authors: Korkut, Umut
de Ruyter, Alex
Maganaris, Manos
Bailey, David (ORCID Profile 0000-0002-1956-0556)

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