Unions
believe that such measures would help to add a social dimension to relocation
decisions and reduce the negative repercussions on local communities. These
rules could be particularly strict when relocation concerns profitable
activities. A proactive approach this is not explicitly directed towards
regulating relocation rather it aims to balance the impact of relocation by
fostering employment creation in high- skilled sectors in which European
economies enjoy substantial comparative advantages. The proactive approach
focuses mainly on the contribution of the social partners to training and
innovation policies. It relies on cooperation at company level to manage
relocation in a way that mitigates its social consequences.
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The first
two approaches can arguably be implemented irrespective of the features of a
national industrial relations system. The third however seems to presuppose a
participatory framework with developed social dialogue at both national and
decentralized levels. Several unions in Nordic countries take the position that
relocation is less problematic for trade union strategies than is usually
thought.
They maintain that unions should not try to avoid relocations by
concession bargaining especially on wages since the international division of
labour actually benefits wage earners. Danish unions as well as supporting a number
of traditional and restrictive measures argue that the challenges of relocation
are creating new jobs increasing educational levels and placing more emphasis
on innovation.
Similarly
the Swedish Metalworkers union has recently expressed its opposition to
measures that make relocation more difficult to expensive.
It argues that only
the development of a competitive environment can support the growth of the
Swedish economy thereby providing new job opportunities to counterbalance those
transferred abroad. This approach suggests that although relocation needs to be
governed by industrial relations and must not be left unchecked it should not
be opposed as such since it can place virtuous constraints on the development
of national economies.
A less radical version can be found in Germany where the
Confederation of German trade unions maintains that relocation should not make
unions change their wage policy as German firm continue to demonstrate Their
competitiveness through good export performance. In other words concession
bargaining is not the right answer there are other ways to address the issues
raised by globalization and relocation.
Some unions
in Europe seem to downplay the threat of relocation. However all of these cases
are found in countries where the industrial relations system provides
substantial support to trade union action while the social protection system
contributes significantly to reducing the negative effects of relocation on the
workers involved.
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