In the debate on the relation between social security and the labour market, the focus is on retrenchment of the government to improve the market mechanism. Little attention is being paid to the role of intermediate organisations, in particular trade unions and employers’ organisations (the...

The combination of flexibility and security (i.e. flexcicurity) in labour markets has become a pivotal feature of the European Commission’s view on the reform of labour markets across Europe. In this view, the Netherlands is seen as an ‘example of flexicurity’, mainly because of its...

High levels of unemployment, or high levels of social expenditures as well as the growing demand for a flexible labour force have given new impetus to the world-wide discussion on what model to use for an efficiently operating labour market and in particular on the role of institutions. Although...

The Dutch system of employment protection is often perceived as too strict for workers on permanent contracts, because of the large procedural inconveniences, difficulty of dismissal and high severance pay. It is suggested that the system of employment protection lowers labour market flexibility...