{
  "title": "Collective Bargaining Through the Magnifying Glass: A Comparison Between the Netherlands and Portugal",
  "publication": "IMF Working Papers, December 14, 2017",
  "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2017/12/14/collective-bargaining-through-the-magnifying-glass-a-comparison-between-the-netherlands-and-45476",
  "canonical": "https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2017/12/14/collective-bargaining-through-the-magnifying-glass-a-comparison-between-the-netherlands-and-45476",
  "overlayPath": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2017/12/14/collective-bargaining-through-the-magnifying-glass-a-comparison-between-the-netherlands-and-45476/index.md",
  "summary": "Since the global financial crisis, sector-level bargaining has come under renewed scrutiny. While in Southern Europe, the crisis raised concerns about the role of collective bargaining as an obstacle to labor market adjustment, in Northern Europe it was perceived more favourably and, according to so",
  "sections": [
    {
      "heading": "Overview",
      "content": "- Since the global financial crisis, sector-level bargaining has come under renewed scrutiny.\n- The crisis prompted divergent perceptions:\n  - In Southern Europe, concerns that collective bargaining was an obstacle to labor market adjustment.\n  - In Northern Europe, a more favourable view; some suggest sector-level bargaining may have helped weather the crisis more easily.\n- The paper compares two countries with seemingly similar collective bargaining systems—the Netherlands and Portugal—to deepen understanding of sector-level bargaining systems and their role for labor market performance.\n- The analysis documents features that may affect labor market outcomes, including:\n  - the scope for flexibility at the firm or worker level within sector-level agreements;\n  - the emphasis on representativeness as a criterion for extensions;\n  - the effectiveness of coordination across bargaining units;\n  - pro-active government policies to enhance trust and cooperation between the social partners."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Key Findings",
      "content": "- Sector-level bargaining characteristics affecting labor market outcomes (as documented in the paper):\n  - Scope for flexibility at the firm or worker level within sector-level agreements.\n  - Emphasis on representativeness as a criterion for extensions.\n  - Effectiveness of coordination across bargaining units.\n  - Pro-active government policies to enhance trust and cooperation between the social partners.\n- Subject areas covered:\n  - Employment, Employment protection, Labor, Labor markets, Wages.\n- Keywords highlighted:\n  - a number of firm, employer association, employment, Employment protection, firm level, firm-level bargaining, Global, Industrial relations, labor market, Labor markets, labor relations, minimum wage, pay clause, social dialogue, Southern Europe, wage inequality, wage-price spiral, Wages, working conditions, WP."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Policy Implications and Areas for Further Analysis",
      "content": "- Consideration of firm- or worker-level flexibility within sector agreements as a channel for labor market adjustment.\n- Use of representativeness criteria in extension mechanisms and its potential impact on the coverage and effects of agreements.\n- Strengthening coordination across bargaining units to influence aggregate labor market outcomes.\n- Role for pro-active government policies to build trust and cooperation among social partners, potentially improving bargaining effectiveness and labor market performance.\n\n---\n\n Content in this bundle\n\n- Wp17275\n  - Wp17275 (Markdown version){rel=\"alternate\" type=\"text/markdown\"}\n  - Wp17275 (PDF){rel=\"external\" type=\"application/pdf\"}\n\n---\n\nSource: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2017/12/14/collective-bargaining-through-the-magnifying-glass-a-comparison-between-the-netherlands-and-45476"
    }
  ],
  "bullets": [
    "[Markdown version](/en/publications/wp/issues/2017/12/14/collective-bargaining-through-the-magnifying-glass-a-comparison-between-the-netherlands-and-45476/index.md)",
    "[Structured JSON version](/en/publications/wp/issues/2017/12/14/collective-bargaining-through-the-magnifying-glass-a-comparison-between-the-netherlands-and-45476/index.json)",
    "[Bundle manifest](/en/publications/wp/issues/2017/12/14/collective-bargaining-through-the-magnifying-glass-a-comparison-between-the-netherlands-and-45476/bundle-manifest.json)",
    "Authors: Alexander Hijzen, Pedro S. Martins, Jante Parlevliet",
    "Published: December 14, 2017",
    "Series: IMF Working Papers",
    "DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781484332986.001",
    "Since the global financial crisis, sector-level bargaining has come under renewed scrutiny.",
    "The crisis prompted divergent perceptions:",
    "The paper compares two countries with seemingly similar collective bargaining systems—the Netherlands and Portugal—to deepen understanding of sector-level bargaining systems and their role for labor market performance.",
    "The analysis documents features that may affect labor market outcomes, including:",
    "Sector-level bargaining characteristics affecting labor market outcomes (as documented in the paper):",
    "Subject areas covered:",
    "Keywords highlighted:",
    "Consideration of firm- or worker-level flexibility within sector agreements as a channel for labor market adjustment.",
    "Use of representativeness criteria in extension mechanisms and its potential impact on the coverage and effects of agreements.",
    "Strengthening coordination across bargaining units to influence aggregate labor market outcomes.",
    "Role for pro-active government policies to build trust and cooperation among social partners, potentially improving bargaining effectiveness and labor market performance.",
    "**Wp17275**"
  ],
  "related": [
    {
      "title": "Wp17275",
      "role": "document",
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/-/media/files/publications/wp/2017/wp17275.pdf",
      "summary": {
        "path": "/-/media/files/publications/wp/2017/wp17275.pdf.md",
        "mime": "text/markdown"
      },
      "binary": {
        "path": "/-/media/files/publications/wp/2017/wp17275.pdf",
        "mime": "application/pdf"
      }
    }
  ],
  "alternates": {
    "markdown": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2017/12/14/collective-bargaining-through-the-magnifying-glass-a-comparison-between-the-netherlands-and-45476/index.md",
    "json": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2017/12/14/collective-bargaining-through-the-magnifying-glass-a-comparison-between-the-netherlands-and-45476/index.json",
    "bundleManifest": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2017/12/14/collective-bargaining-through-the-magnifying-glass-a-comparison-between-the-netherlands-and-45476/bundle-manifest.json"
  },
  "generatedAtUtc": "2026-09-18T12:39:18.474Z"
}