Colin Crouch presents a wide ranging survey of the relationship between trade unions, employers, and governments in western Europe. Employing rigorous economic and historical analysis, he presents powerful explanations of the diversity and significance of industrial relations in the 20th century.

Colin Crouch presents a wide ranging survey of the relationship between trade unions, employers, and governments in western Europe. Employing rigorous economic and historical analysis, he presents powerful explanations of the diversity and significance of industrial relations in the 20th century

This up-to-date introduction to the changing nature and context of industrial relations in contemporary Europe shows how different national systems of industrial relations offer varying models of relations between employers and workers.

Frege explores the evolution of employment research, showing how the field of study we know today grew out of industrial and democratic transformations in the 19th century. She traces the influence of distinct state traditions, and draws out the implications for contemporary and future research.

This is an edited collection of papers discussing what has happened to employers' and other business associations and trade unions in Western Europe during what are generally regarded as having been years of neo-liberalism and a decline of neo-corporatism.

`As one would expect, this is a well-crafted, literate and absorbing account of European trade union development. Established scholars and advanced students will enjoy the discussion of theory and cases′ - The Journal of Industrial Relations `[A] detailed and fascinating history of trade unions in the three countries [Britain, Germany, Italy]... considers how the unions could recover from the intense disarray of recent years′ - Labour Research `Everyone concerned over the construction of a truly social Europe will learn much from this thoughtful and probing study′ - Professor Colin Crouch, Istituto Universitario Europeo In this comprehensive overview of trade unionism in Europe and beyond, Richard Hyman offers a fresh perspective on trade union identity, ideology and strategy. He shows how the varied forms and impact of different national movements reflect historical choices on whether to emphasize a role as market bargainers, mobilizers of class opposition or partners in social integration. The book demonstrates how these inherited traditions can serve as both resources and constraints in responding to the challenges which confront trade unions in today′s working world.

This book argues that liberalization of industrial relations has been a universal tendency among European countries over the last thirty-five years.