EUROPEAN SOCIAL-POLICY AFTER MAASTRICHT - THE SOCIAL DIALOG AND SUBSIDIARITY

Authors
Citation
W. Streeck, EUROPEAN SOCIAL-POLICY AFTER MAASTRICHT - THE SOCIAL DIALOG AND SUBSIDIARITY, Economic and industrial democracy, 15(2), 1994, pp. 151-177
Citations number
23
Categorie Soggetti
Industrial Relations & Labor
ISSN journal
0143831X
Volume
15
Issue
2
Year of publication
1994
Pages
151 - 177
Database
ISI
SICI code
0143-831X(1994)15:2<151:ESAM-T>2.0.ZU;2-K
Abstract
The paper reviews recent changes in the institutional conditions of Eu ropean social policy, especially the new codecision rights of the 'soc ial partners' under the Maastricht Social Protocol. To assess the pote ntial of the new institutional framework to add a meaningful social di mension to the integrated European market, the paper places Maastricht and its aftermath in the context of both the history of social policy as well as the overall institutional structure of the European Commun ity. Drawing on theory derived from the study of neo-corporatism, the paper argues that the key for a productive 'social dialogue' rests wit h business; that business has no incentives to promote an activist, ma rket-correcting social policy at Community level and will therefore li kely use its codecision rights to delay or prevent legislation; and th at neither the unions nor the European Commission, the incipient Europ ean Community executive, have a capacity to make business change its s trategic calculation.