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Crisis corporatism 2.0? The role of social dialogue in the pandemic crisis in Europe

Author

Listed:
  • Guglielmo Meardi

    (Scuola Normale Superiore, Florence, Italy)

  • Arianna Tassinari

    (Max-Planck Institut für Gesellschaftsforschung, Cologne, Germany)

Abstract

The literature on corporatism sees exogenous threats as opportunities for establishing interclass alliances. This article asks if this has been the case with the COVID-19 pandemic, looking at whether social dialogue practices and functions have changed in the three largest EU countries compared with the ‘crisis corporatism’ and ‘austerity corporatism’ that accompanied the Great Financial Crisis of 2008–2009 and the eurozone crisis of 2010–2012. It concludes that continuity prevails in terms of the forms and limitations of concerted solutions, which remain country-specific. However, a crisis focused on health issues has entailed a shift in the agenda from labour costs to production issues, providing trade unions with discursive resources opening up opportunities to move from the concession bargaining of previous decades to more assertive roles.

Suggested Citation

  • Guglielmo Meardi & Arianna Tassinari, 2022. "Crisis corporatism 2.0? The role of social dialogue in the pandemic crisis in Europe," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 28(1), pages 83-100, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:treure:v:28:y:2022:i:1:p:83-100
    DOI: 10.1177/10242589221089785
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Seghezzi, Francesco & Serrani, Lavinia & Negri, Stefania & Virgili, Valeria, 2023. "DEFEN-CE: Social Dialogue in Defence of Vulnerable GroupsinPost-COVID-19 LabourMarkets. Report on Italy and Spain," SocArXiv v3zt7, Center for Open Science.
    2. Valentina Franca & Polona Muren, 2023. "Working from Home During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons on Well-Being, Work-Life Balance, and Health," Journal of Social Policy Conferences, Istanbul University, Faculty of Economics, issue 84, pages 1-14, July.
    3. Angelo Salento & Nicola Costalunga, 2023. "Sindacato, partecipazione, economia fondamentale," ECONOMIA E SOCIET? REGIONALE, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2023(3), pages 15-33.
    4. Emmanuele Pavolini & David Luque Balbona & Ana M. Guillén, 2022. "Reconciliation policies in COVID times: what role for trade unions in Spain and Italy?," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 28(1), pages 65-82, February.
    5. David Natali, 2022. "COVID-19 and the opportunity to change the neoliberal agenda: evidence from socio-employment policy responses across Europe," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 28(1), pages 15-30, February.
    6. Thomas Klikauer, 2023. "Book Review: Re-Union – How Bold Labor Reforms Can Repair, Revitalize, and Reunite the United States," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 29(1), pages 157-160, February.
    7. Bernhard Ebbinghaus & Lukas Lehner, 2022. "Cui bono – business or labour? Job retention policies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 28(1), pages 47-64, February.

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