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Draft Danish national report - Social dialogue and the public services in the aftermath of the economic crisis: strengthening partnership in an era of austerity

Mikkel Mailand

Employment Relations Research Centre, FAOSDepartment of Sociology University of Copenhagen

Meeting of the Research Team, London, September 21, 2012

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Content of the Danish national report

1. Introduction

• Structure of the public service responsibilities (three tier)

• Public sector ER-system (strong SPs, closer to model-employer)

2. National level - austerity measures and other crisis related policies• Stimulus packages followed by austerity measures, failed tripartite neg. • Drivers in general mix of austerity and labour supply• Limited role of SP + limited impact on public sector ER and job level

3. Sector level – focus local authorities• Annual Economic Agreements for public services decline in real prices• CB round 2011 pay freeze and tougher employers but limited changes • 2012 public sector social dialogue initiative ‘broader societal challenges’

4. Case-stories – two studies of school area cutbacks in municipalities via WS• Multiple drivers: cutbacks, Structural reform 2007, privatisation, demogr. • SP constructive role; job-banks, job-rotation, natural wastage, remune.

5. Conclusion and summary

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Conclusion and summary – the research questions etc.

Changes in job levels, terms and conditions of empl. and work organisation • Modest (but geographically diverse) decrease in job-levels (2.1 percent)• Sector-level pay developments near to pay freeze, very few new benefits• Likely increase in rate of part-time positions and work-intensification• Drivers behind these changes are not only national level austerity• More cutback management then modernization

Design and implemented of changes – role of social dialogue? • National level: SP limited role (and limited impact of initiatives on PS ER)• Sector level: SP important role in bipartite CB rounds (few changes);

Economic Agreements only employer involv.; new social dialogue type

How have institutions of social dialogue influenced IR processes /outcomes?• Changes with greatest impact have mostly been influenced by SD instit.• Change in intensity and form of local level social dialogue can be seen,

but local level SD (bargaining and employee involv.) still influential