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Strikes in the public sector in Denmark – assessing the economic gains and losses of collective action

Author

Listed:
  • Steen Scheuer

    (Department of Marketing and Management, University of Southern Denmark, Slagelse, Denmark)

  • Flemming Ibsen

    (Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark)

  • Laust Høgedahl

    (Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark)

Abstract

This article looks at strikes by employees in the public sector, discusses the theoretical background to these conflicts and shows – based on a case study of three strikes in the Danish public sector – how different union strategies lead to very different outcomes in terms of economic gains and losses, ranging from a slightly positive result to a negative result from which it will take eight to ten years to recover. This is of great importance because the challenge facing public sector unions is different from that of their counterparts: private sector unions struggle with the owners of capital, while public sector unions trying to move up the wage hierarchy cannot expect much help from fellow public sector unions, often quite the reverse.

Suggested Citation

  • Steen Scheuer & Flemming Ibsen & Laust Høgedahl, 2016. "Strikes in the public sector in Denmark – assessing the economic gains and losses of collective action," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 22(3), pages 367-382, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:treure:v:22:y:2016:i:3:p:367-382
    DOI: 10.1177/1024258916655709
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lorenzo Bordogna & Gian Primo Cella, 2002. "Decline or transformation? Change in industrial conflict and its challenges," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 8(4), pages 585-607, November.
    2. Stamhus, Jørgen & Scheuer, Steen & Christensen, Ellen Susanne, 2009. "Tre strejker i det offentlige – en komparativ lønmodtager-investeringsanalyse," Nationaløkonomisk tidsskrift, Nationaløkonomisk Forening, vol. 2009(1), pages 358-372.
    3. John Peters, 2012. "Neoliberal convergence in North America and Western Europe: Fiscal austerity, privatization, and public sector reform," Review of International Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(2), pages 208-235.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kurt Vandaele, 2021. "Applauded ‘nightingales’ voicing discontent. Exploring labour unrest in health and social care in Europe before and since the COVID-19 pandemic," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 27(3), pages 399-411, August.

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