Institutional Anchors for Job Quality — The Case of Industrial Relations

Abstract

Certain crucial aspects of job quality, such as pay levels, the organisation of working time, the nature of the employment contract and skill requirements, appear to be predetermined by factors such as economic needs, competitive pressures, management strategies and the alleged nature of a given job. A closer look reveals, however, the ways in which these needs, pressures and structural or sector-specific features interact with institutions and policy approaches. This interaction takes place at all levels involved, from the workplace and the establishment to collective bargaining and municipal or government policy, and finally it involves social dialogue and policy directives at EU level. Thus, although institutions and policies do matter, they impact on job quality in a rather complex manner.