Tripartite alliances for vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic? Evidence from the Eurofound PolicyWatch database

This article connects crisis corporatism with welfare regime and labour market segmentation theories to examine the responsiveness of social dialogue during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using data from the Eurofound EU PolicyWatch database, covering policy measures (N = 1139 measures) implemented across the EU from 2020 to 2022, it analyses the extent to which tripartite alliances, namely between trade unions, employer organisations and government, were associated with the implementation of policies that targeted the situation of (employment-related, and family- and health-related) vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 crisis in Europe. The findings show that the role of social partners – and in particular tripartite alliances for the vulnerable – was limited in implementing policies for the vulnerable. Regime-specific variations indicate that although social dialogue structures exist across countries, their operational significance and capacity to shape policies vary. Crisis corporatism, rather than reworking systems to foster inclusion, risks reproducing established boundaries.