Unemployment and Pensions

Protection in Europe: the Changing

Role of Social Partners

Key Research Findings

David Natali

Brussels, 22 November 2016

with the financial support of the

Plan of the presentation

The project • Focus and objectives

• Partners

• Deliverables

Research findings • Occupational welfare: role and evolution

• Determinants

• Prospects (risks and opportunities)

with the financial support of the

Focus

Occupational Welfare

‘the sum of benefits and services provided by

social partners – employers and trade unions -

(by themselves or with the participation of other

actors) to employees as a result of an

employment contract over and beyond statutory

welfare’ (PROWELFARE, 2015)

with the financial support of the

Partners OSE* Belgium

AIAS, University of Amsterdam* The Netherlands

Fundacion 1° de Mayo* Spain

Fondazione Di Vittorio Italy

Università Politecnica delle Marche Italy

University of Oxford UK

Foundation Institute of Public Affairs Poland

Uppsala University* Sweden

ETUC

Hans Bockler Stiftung*, Germany

AK, Chamber of Labour Vienna* Austria

with the financial support of the

Project goals

Ob. 1, systematic collection of information

and classification of European OW

Ob. 2, analysis of OW and its key

determinants

Ob. 3, dissemination of information to

improve social dialogue

with the financial support of the

Deliverables Research Products

• 1 edited volume

Occupation Welfare in Europe: Risks, Opportunities and

Social Partner involvement in unemployment and pension

protection, Brussels, ETUI (forthcoming).

• 12 working papers

9 country case working papers

3 comparative working papers

• 10 reports

• Database on occupational pensions

with the financial support of the

Deliverables Dissemination

•3 EU conferences

•3 national meetings

•Further EU and National events

•Prowelfare Basecamp and website (http://www.ose.be/prowelfare/)

•2 videos

•2 webstreamings

with the financial support of the

Key Findings

(Comparative insights)

The Role of OW in Europe Coverage

Pensions Unemployment Health Reconciliation

SE HIGH HIGH HIGH HIGH

NL HIGH MEDIUM HIGH HIGH

UK MEDIUM LOW LOW HIGH

DE MEDIUM LOW MEDIUM HIGH

BE MEDIUM LOW HIGH HIGH

AT MEDIUM LOW LOW MEDIUM

IT LOW LOW MEDIUM MEDIUM

ES LOW LOW MEDIUM MEDIUM

PL LOW LOW LOW LOW

Encompassing OW Wide and Segmented Limited and segmented OW barely exists

Source: Natali, Pavolini with Vanhercke

(forthcoming)

Trends 2008/14, Coverage

with the financial support of the

Pensions Unemployment Health Reconciliation

SE =/+ = = =/+

NL = = = +

UK + = + =/+

DE + =/+ + +

BE + = = +

AT = + = +

IT =/+ + + +

ES =/- = =/- +

PL = = = =/+

Source: Natali, Pavolini with Vanhercke

(forthcoming)

Occupational Welfare and Social

Partners • Beyond the ‘social division’ of welfare

– Complex interaction of social partners with the State

and the Market

• Social Partners are ‘squeezed’ – State pursues cost-containment but still aims to steer

– Financial Markets aim to shape investment strategies

• Role of national; supra-/sub-national institutions – Welfare, industrial relations institutions (crowding out)

– EU (pensions regulation; ESF)

– Local authorities (active labour market policies)

with the financial support of the

OW as a source of inequality

Source: Natali, Pavolini with Vanhercke

(forthcoming)

with the financial support of the

Risks

• Lack of coordination between Statutory

and Occupational Welfare (their design is crucial)

• Inequality

• Budgetary Costs

• Administrative Costs and Mis-management

• Financialisation

with the financial support of the

Opportunities

• Improved social protection to workers

• Innovative approaches to addressing social risks

• Source of active role of Trade Unions and Firms in

human resources and social rights management

with the financial support of the

OW, handle with care

• More systematic data collection regarding OW and

fiscal welfare is needed

• Be clear about the role of OW and its interaction with

statutory schemes

• Industrial Relations systems are a key factor shaping

OW and its distributional outcomes

• Challenges to the role of social partners (e.g.

financialisation; State-driven reforms)

with the financial support of the