Labour Markets at a Crossroads

In the research project ”Wage formation and business dynamics” at the Ratio Institute a new book has been published edited by Nils Karlson and Henrik Lindberg. In Labour Markets at a crossroads: Causes of Change, Challenges and Need to Reform we investigate the vital aspects of the different Labour Markets Models in Europe. In ten chapters with three themes: Flexicurity and Labour market Dynamics, Unions and Industrial Action, Wages and Bargaining, different aspects and dimensions of the challenges that Europe face are addressed. The challenges are a persistent and furthermore increasing unemployment among the young, immigrants and disabled which calls for reform of the existing institutions.

A central conclusion made in the anthology is that one of the main causes of the shortcomings of the European labour markets in the functioning of the ”corporative cartels” meaning unions and employers organizations with cartels functions and purposes, upheld by legislation and corporative institutions.

Lindberg, H. & Karlson, N. (Eds.) (2012).Labour Markets at a Crossroads – Causes of Change, Challenges and Need to Reform. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholar Publishing.