the case of greece revisited a. dedoussopoulos panteion university athens, june 2013 promoting a...

44
THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE THROUGH SOUND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS AND SOCIAL DIALOGUE

Upload: gwendolyn-brining

Post on 01-Apr-2015

220 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED

A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS

PANTEION UNIVERSITY

ATHENS, JUNE 2013

PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

THROUGH SOUND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS AND SOCIAL DIALOGUE

Page 2: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

WHAT THIS SESSION IS ABOUT

ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF CRISIS AND POLICY REFORM ON THE LABOUR MARKET AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

Page 3: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

STRUCTURE

Description of PolicyMacroeconomic EffectsLabour Market ImpactsImpacts on Industrial Relations and Social

Dialogue

Page 4: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

PART ONE

ON POLICY

Page 5: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

POLICY ORIENTATION

A DOUBLE TARGET Sustainability of the Greek public debt Increasing competitiveness

DIAGNOSIS A large public sector An inflexible labour market

PRESCRIPTION Internal devaluation

A radical reduction in the public sector Wage reductions leading to price reductions

Page 6: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

A FALLACIOUS CONCEPTUALISATION 1

The size of the public sector has been smaller than the average in EURO area Public spending exceeded EU average for two years

proceeding the crisis (2008-9) Public revenue systematically lagged behind EU

average by 6 percentage points in GDP Tax system increases unequal distribution of income

The obvious policy prescription A radical reorganization of taxation and the tax

collecting mechanism (not implemented yet)

Page 7: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

A FALLACIOUS CONCEPTUALISATION 2

A highly segmented labour market A rather well protected segment (less than 1/3 of

wage employment) A rather highly deregulated segment

Evidence of sufficient labour market flexibility Employment levels have been responsive to changes

in production (Okun law variation) Wage structure has been flexible (increasing wage

deviation over time) High layoffs – hiring rates Relatively high levels of inter-firm movement of

personnel

Page 8: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

PART TWO

MACROECONOMIC IMPACT

Page 9: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

MACROECONOMIC IMPACT

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014

-8

-6

-4

-2

0

2

4

6

8GDP RATE OF CHANGE

Page 10: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

2000

Q1

2000

Q3

2001

Q1

2001

Q3

2002

Q1

2002

Q3

2003

Q1

2003

Q3

2004

Q1

2004

Q3

2005

Q1

2005

Q3

2006

Q1

2006

Q3

2007

Q1

2007

Q3

2008

Q1

2008

Q3

2009

Q1

2009

Q3

2010

Q1

2010

Q3

2011

Q1

2011

Q3

2012

Q1

2012

Q3

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

GDP BY QUARTER

Page 11: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

Y2000 Y2008 Y20120%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

69.1 72.269.8

19.7 17.8

19.4

23.6 24.114.2

25.0 24.225.1

-37.0 -38.3-28.6

COMPOSITION OF DEMAND

IMPORTSEXPORTSINVESTMENTPUBLIC CONSUMPTIONPRIVATE CONSUMPTION

Page 12: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014

-10.0

-8.0

-6.0

-4.0

-2.0

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

PIVATE CONSUMPTION

Page 13: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014

-10.0

-8.0

-6.0

-4.0

-2.0

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

PUBLIC CONSUMPTION

Page 14: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014

-30.0

-20.0

-10.0

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

INVESTMENT

Page 15: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014

-25.0

-20.0

-15.0

-10.0

-5.0

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

EXPORTS

Page 16: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014

-30.0

-20.0

-10.0

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

EXPORTS 2

exports goodsexports services

Page 17: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014

-25.0

-20.0

-15.0

-10.0

-5.0

0.0

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

IMPORTS

Page 18: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

1995 2000 2005 2010 20150

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

DEBT TO GDP RATIO

Page 19: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

  FORECASTS ACTUAL FIGURES

  AUTOMN 2010 INTERIM 2012 SPRING 2013

GDP RATE OF GROWTH

       

2010 -4,2     -4,92011 -3,0     -7,12012 1,2 -4,7   -6,42013   0,0 -4,2  2014     0,6  

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

       

2010 12,5     14,22011 15,0     20,72012 15,2 19,7   26,02013   19,6 27,0  2014     26,0  

BUDGET DEFICIT        

2010 -9,6     -10,72011 -7,5     -9,52012 -7,6 -7,3   -10,02013   -8,4 -3,8  

2014     -2,6  

Page 20: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

A PROVISIONAL CONCLUSION

From internal devaluation to a Schumpeterian creative destruction?

If destruction is plain to see, where is the “creative” part? Tourism Niches of foreign investment – Privatisation project

Real estate Energy Transportation

Industrial concentration into large enterprises Retail trade – small scale manufacture

Page 21: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

A MORE DEFINITE CONCLUSION

Adjustment though quantities not through prices Wage cost accounted for only a 14% of total cost in

2007 in manufacture All other cost elements have been kept intact or raised

Cost of borrowing Public utilities rates Indirect taxes Cost of imported raw materials

Page 22: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

PART THREE

LABOUR MARKET IMPACTS

Page 23: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

1998

α

1998

γ

1999

α

1999

γ

2000

α

2000

γ

2001

α

2001

γ

2002

α

2002

γ

2003

α

2003

γ

2004

α

2004

γ

2005

α

2005

γ

2006

α

2006

γ

2007

α

2007

γ2000.0

2500.0

3000.0

3500.0

4000.0

4500.0

5000.0

f(x) = 14.5123076951313 x + 3934.3566453435R² = 0.9483904968577

f(x) = 15.0005425761747 x + 3391.24535788358R² = 0.956165378163117

EMPLOYMENT AT THE "GOOD" TIMES

totalLinear (total)non agricultural Linear (non agricultural )

Page 24: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

2000.0

2500.0

3000.0

3500.0

4000.0

4500.0

5000.0

f(x) = − 3.18392971057465 x² + 17.2247656877891 x + 4538.1015211418R² = 0.983776274983181

f(x) = − 2.66572801438016 x² + 8.38998151003944 x + 4036.38860864675R² = 0.986343372410688

EMPLOYMENT AT THE TIMES OF CRISIS

totalPolynomial (total)non agricultural Polynomial (non agricultural )

Page 25: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

CONSIDERATIONS

The linear trend coefficient is slightly reduced, but it does not change much

The effect of the crisis is fully captured by the t square variable, indicating an accelerating negative effect

On the whole, the Greek economy has lost 871.000 jobs during the period 2009a – 2012d. This means that, had the Greek economy regained the pre-crisis rate of employment growth since the 1st quarter of 2013, it would have taken 14.5 years to achieve the 2009a level of employment.

Page 26: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

2008

α

2008

β

2008

γ

2008

δ

2009

α

2009

β

2009

γ

2009

δ

2010

α

2010

β

2010

γ

2010

δ

2011

α

2011

β

2011

γ

2011

δ

2012

α

2012

β

2012

γ

2012

δ

-12.00

-10.00

-8.00

-6.00

-4.00

-2.00

0.00

2.00

4.00

RATE OF CHANGE IN EMPLOYMENT (SAME QUARTER PREVIOUS YEAR)

totalnon agricultural

Page 27: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

STRUCTURAL IMPACTS

Employment level reductions are widespread. All sectors of economic activity have experienced severe employment losses

However, employment losses are more concentrated in Construction (22.2% of total job losses) Manufacturing (18,2%) Trade (16.9%) Agriculture (8.3%) Tourism (6.7%) Education (5.8%) Domestic Services (4.7%) Transportation and storage (4.5%)

Page 28: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

THE TIME EVOLUTION

Manufacturing and construction industries have been hit hard from the beginning of the crisis

Trade and other service sectors have felt the impact on employment later on (in 2012 the trade sector alone has contributed a 26.5% of total job losses)

Page 29: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

FULL TIME JOBS vs. PART TIME JOBS

-60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30

-100

-50

0

50

100

150

200

Page 30: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

THE EVIDENCE FROM LIB 1

New Contracts Full Time Jobs Part Time Jobs Job Rotation

2009 945138 746911 157738 40489

2010 875952 586281 228994 60677

2011 762544 460706 233538 68300

2012 683443 375843 241985 65615

COMPOSITION OF NEW CONTRACTS

2009 100 79,0 16,7 4,3

2010 100 66,9 26,1 6,9

2011 100 60,4 30,6 9,0

2012 100 55,0 35,4 9,6

Page 31: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

THE EVIDENCE FROM LIB 2

TOTAL PART TIME JOB ROTATION

TOTAL ROTATION 1 ROTATION 2

2009 16977 12219 4758 4146 612

2010 26253 18713 7540 6527 1013

2011 58962 32420 26542 19128 7414

2012 84290 49640 34650 21278 13372

COMPOSITION OF CHANGES IN CONTRACT FORM

2009 100,0 72,0 28,0 (87,1) (12,9)

2010 100,0 71,3 28,7 (86,6) (13,4)

2011 100,0 55,0 45,0 (72,1) (27,9)

2012 100,0 58,9 41,1 (61,4) (38,6)

Page 32: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

A PROVISIONAL CALCULATION

In 2012 37% of all employees has either Lost their job Have been employed as part-timers Or forced to accept job rotation

Wage reductions are in effect in line to the reduction of minimum wage rate reduction (22%)

Reductions in pensions, unemployment and mini-jobs have contributed severely in widespread poverty among population

Public provision of services such as education and health have also severely deteriorated for large sections of the population

Page 33: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

PART FOUR

WAGE SETTING AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

Page 34: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

INSTITUTIONAL SETTING

Collective bargaining structure and processes have been redefined Minimum wage rate is unilaterally determined by

Minister’s decree, after consultation with social partners Sectorial and occupational collective agreements have

given place to agreements at the firm level Most enterprise agreements have been conducted by

“associations of persons” not by trade unions Individualised bargaining increases, as the number of

employees covered by collective agreements has been severely reduced

The role of the Organization for Mediation and Arbitrage has been marginalised

Page 35: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

National General Collective AgreementSetting Minimum Wage

Mostly Politically Determined

Sectorial and Occupational Collective Agreements

Setting wage mark up

Bargaining - Trade UnionsOMEDMarket Forces

WIDE SPREAD

Collective Agreements at Enterprise Level

Setting wage mark up

Bargaining - Trade UnionsOMEDMarket Forces

LIMITED

Individual Bargaining

Setting wage mark up

Mostly determined by the employer

Page 36: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

National General Collective AgreementNo Authority in Setting Minimum WageMinimum wage is Exclusively Politically Determined

Sectorial and Occupational Collective Agreements

Setting wage mark up

Bargaining - Trade UnionsOMED (marginal)Market Forces

VERY LIMITED

Collective Agreements at Enterprise Level

Setting wage mark up

Bargaining - Trade Unions – Ass. Of PersonsOMED (marginal)Market Forces

WIDE SPREAD FOR ASSOCIATIONS OF PERSONS

Individual Bargaining

Setting wage mark up

Mostly determined by the employerTerms and conditions of work – time schedules

COMMON

Employers’ opting out

Page 37: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

SECTORIAL AND OCCUPATIONAL AGREEMENTS

MAY 2013 TERMINATED: 233 RENEWED: 33

YEAR AT ENTERPRISE LEVEL

SECTORIAL OR OCCUPATIONAL WITH NATIONAL

COVERADGE

2010

238 672011

179 282012

976 2

Page 38: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

THE IMPACT OF THE ASSOCIATIONS OF PERSONS ON WAGE SETTING

2/3 all collective agreements concluded by associations of persons have led to wage reductions to the minimum wage rate

Individual agreements have resulted on a 22.9% wage reduction on the average

Trade union concluded agreements at the enterprise level have managed to retain wage levels by 33%

Page 39: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

THE CENTRALITY OF MINIMUM WAGE SETTING

Wage ladders are collapsing as the minimum wage rate has been reduced and sectorial and occupational collective bargaining becomes

marginalisedSectorial and occupational collective bargaining and

wage setting enable both employers and employees to avoid a personal confrontation within the establishment and has provided the ground of remarkable degrees of functional and time flexibility, especially in small and medium enterprises

With a handful of exceptions, even large enterprises do not possess any system of linking rewards to productivity at the individual level, and even some they have it, they prefer not to operate it.

Page 40: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

A CHANGING REGIME OF MANAGEMENT

As personal confrontation was eliminated, a paternalistic regime of management had been maintained, i.e., exchanging favours between the two parts, based on personal relationships, long tenures and loyalty.

The new legislation and the extent of employment crisis leads to the establishment of a new regime, that of authoritarian management in which management appears as an undisputed power, limited only by external factors.

Within this context industrial relations, collective bargaining and social dialogue seem to be words void of any meaning

Page 41: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

TWO ILLUMINATING EXAMPLES

The conclusion of a sectorial collective agreement in summer 2012

The conclusion of a national general collective agreement in May 2013

Page 42: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

MORE THAN ONE CAMP

Traditionally in national bargaining procedures there had never be a clear cut division between employers and employees. Small and medium enterprises, represented by GESEVEE and ESSE, have been occupying an intermediate position, leaning towards employees’ demands on wage issues.

It seems that nowadays a more clear cut division to be established between social partners representing large enterprises and those representing small and medium firms.

Page 43: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

ON THE STATE OF SOCIAL DIALOGUE

Social partners appear to be confused, frustrated, disappointed and practically incapable to contribute to an alternative strategy for economic reconstruction.

Though most of them have openly opposed wage reductions and all of them anticipate that such reductions have negative effects on the prospects of economic recovery, they are reluctant to demand for a full restoration of social dialogue procedures and of collective bargaining at national level.

Page 44: THE CASE OF GREECE REVISITED A. DEDOUSSOPOULOS PANTEION UNIVERSITY ATHENS, JUNE 2013 PROMOTING A BALANCED AND INCLUSIVE RECOVERY FROM THE CRISIS IN EUROPE

ON THE STATE OF SOCIAL DIALOGUE 2

Social partners representing employers are counting the possibility of a large scale exit of members from their organisation, if wage issues are not settled to their members’ short-term conceptions, i.e., a defensive stand of survival through wage reductions.

Internal conflicts may arise in the near future, especially in the trade unions, as traditional party affiliations are jeopardised.

Institutional settings, instead of providing a solid ground for much needed compromise, have created a labour market jungle.