The rapid transition from a centrally-planned economy to a market economy in East Germany constituted a profound challenge to the system of industrial relations, in particular to collective bargaining. After the transfer of western bargaining procedures and basic pay strategies, the unions'...

During the last decades, German industrial relations have undergone significant changes leading to a partial erosion and fragmentation of collective bargaining as well - and more fundamentally - to a significant change in power relations and the weakening of trade unions. As a result, wage...

The declaration of the general binding of collective agreements plays a minor role in Germany compared to other European countries. In particular, the number of extended wage agreements has declined greatly over the last two decades. Because of the declining bargaining coverage, calls for a...