Bjarke Refslund

Intra-European labour migration and deteriorating employment relations in Danish Cleaning and Agriculture: Industrial relations under pressure from EU8/2 labour inflows?

Eastern and Central European labour migration following the EU enlargement has significant impact on the Nordic labour markets. This article demonstrates, through sector-based case studies in Denmark, how labour migration influences working condition and wages in two sectors that have so far only been sparsely studied: the agriculture and cleaning industries. The high inflow of labour migrants is used by some employers to bypass and undermine the institutionalized class compromise, by employing EU8/2-workers at lower wages and often without collective agreements coverage frequently combined with below average working conditions. This put strains on the Danish agreement-based model of industrial relations, potentially leading to a more segmented labour market as well as replacement of native, mainly low-skilled workers with EU8/2-workers.

Adjusting the Danish industrial relations system after Laval: recalibration rather than erosion

In the wake of what has become known as the Laval quartet – the four ECJ rulings in Laval, Viking, Rüffert and Luxembourg – many analyses have been concerned with the implications for Nordic labour markets. The Laval quartet have made scholars question the sustainability of the Nordic industrial relations model and even point to its erosion (see, for example, Sippola, 2012; Thörnqvist, 2011; Woolfson et al., 2010). Many of these analyses refer to the case of Sweden, however, where the situation seems particularly uncertain. In Denmark, the industrial relations system seems to be undergoing a recalibration, rather than erosion, following the Laval quartet, as a result of judicial and political adjustments in which the position of labour market organizations remains strong.

Intra‐European Labour Migration and Low‐Wage Competition - Comparing the Danish and Swedish Experiences Across Three Sectors

The article compares how low-wage competition and labour migration from EU11 Member States affect industrial relations and working conditions for natives and migrants in three sectors (transport, c ...

Understanding the diverging trajectories of slaughterhouse work in Denmark and Germany: A power resource approach

Germany and Denmark are among the world’s largest exporters of meat products. Two decades ago their labour markets were similar, but since then they have diverged significantly. The industry in Denmark has maintained high wages and good working conditions, while in Germany there has been a rapid growth in precarious employment, with widespread use of subcontracted and posted migrant workers. We argue that the key explanation for this radical difference is the power position of the trade unions, which also affects how employers position themselves. We show how trade union power embedded in the local and sectoral industrial relations systems influences the wages and working conditions in German and Danish slaughterhouses.

Tackling precarious work in public supply chains: A comparison of local government procurement policies in Denmark, Germany and the UK

Through a cross-national comparative study of local government ‘best practice cases’ of socially responsible procurement in Denmark, Germany and the UK, this article critically examines the role of labour clauses in addressing issues of low wages and precarious work in public supply chains. It provides new insights on the negotiations and outcomes of labour clauses across different stages of the policy process, including implementation and monitoring. The analysis demonstrates the importance of pragmatic alliances of progressive local politicians, unions and employers in ensuring that socially responsible procurement moves beyond rhetoric, along with supportive national and sectoral employment regimes. Labour clauses can compensate for weak systems of labour market regulation by setting higher standards for outsourced workers, while they play a complementary role in more regulated labour markets by levelling up wages and working conditions to prevailing collectively agreed standards.

Sectoral variation in consequences of intra-European labour migration: How unions and structural conditions matter

Abstract Intra-European labour migration has divergent labour market consequences across institutional settings and economic sectors. Some sectors experience increasing pressure on industrial relations and labour market segmentation while others do not experience such effects, and it remains unclear how to explain this variation. Based on empirical findings from a comparative study of four economic sectors in Denmark, this article discusses the role of labour market institutions and structural conditions in shaping the consequences of labour migration at a sectoral level.

Islands in the Stream? The Challenges and Resilience of the Danish Industrial Relations Model in a Liberalising World

Nordic industrial relations models have often been highlighted as being successful ‘highroads’ in advanced capitalism. However, the economic crisis has increased pressures to liberalise and deregulate labour markets. Although this challenges the Danish industrial relations model, there are several countermeasures, in particular strong unions and the supportive institutional context, which have prevented erosion indicating the resilience and adaptability of the model.

Intermediaries Supporting Occupational Health and Safety Improvements in Small Businesses: Development of Typology and Discussion of Consequences for Preventive Strategies

Intermediaries have been suggested as a potential source for improving Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) in small businesses (SBs), because SB due to their sheer number and limited managerial and financial resources typically have weak OHS management and higher occupational risks. SB furthermore typically has a reactive approach to OHS and do not seek out OHS assistance on their own. We propose, based on a large comparative study of SB and intermediaries, a general typology for intermediaries in relation to SB, and further, discuss the implications for preventive strategies in SB. We argue that there is a strong potential for improving OHS by including various intermediaries, however, the inclusion is not enough in itself. The interests of the intermediaries and the OHS improvement must be aligned, and the efforts across various intermediaries should be orchestrated among the key actors to maximize the outcome.

From employee representation to problem-solving: Mainstreaming OHS management:

The role of occupational health and safety representatives is changing. A study in 60 Danish enterprises indicates that representation, and especially negotiation on behalf of colleagues, has diminished. The work environment is mainstreamed in many enterprises and is rarely an area of conflict. The role of OHS representatives has accordingly changed to focus on solving specific problems in the workplace as an integrated part of daily operations. Both management and colleagues consider the OHS representatives as a resource that can be utilized to manage the work environment. The consequences of this development for the employees may be a stronger joint management–employee effort to improve the work environment, but also management domination and an accordingly weaker employee voice in some companies.

Comparing econometric and survey-based methodologies in measuring offshoring: The Danish experience

Offshoring, understood as the geographical relocation of companies’ activities to another country, is a key feature of contemporary globalization and has growing social, political and economic implications. However, the phenomenon remains poorly examined at aggregated macro levels such as the national or regional level. Most macro analyses are based on proxies and trade statistics with limitations. Drawing on unique Danish survey data, this article demonstrates how survey data can provide important insights into the national scale and impacts of offshoring, including changes of employment, which are difficult to measure with other methods.