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Portrait Anders Kjellberg november 2022. Photo: Emma Lord.

Anders Kjellberg

Professor Emeritus

Portrait Anders Kjellberg november 2022. Photo: Emma Lord.

A minimum-wage directive could undermine the Nordic model

Author

  • German Bender
  • Anders Kjellberg

Summary, in English

The proposed European Union directive on minimum wages has met strong criticism in Scandinavia. But up to now the debate has lacked specific instances of what statutory minimum wages would mean for the Swedish labour market. A key feature of the Swedish industrial-relations system is that unions and employers regulate most aspects of the labour market through collective agreements. The Swedish-or rather Nordic-model has repeatedly shown its vitality, solving difficult problems and contributing to high employment and wage growth, while largely avoiding government intervention. This model is threatened by the envisaged EU minimum-wage legislation.

Department/s

  • Sociology

Publishing year

2021-07-13

Language

English

Publication/Series

Social Europe

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Social Europe Publishing & Consulting GmbH, Social Europe Publishing & Consulting GmbH

Topic

  • Sociology (excluding Social Work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology)

Keywords

  • minimum-wage
  • EU directive
  • Nordic model
  • Swedish model
  • collective agreement
  • wage formation
  • Sociology
  • minimilön
  • trade union

Status

Published

Project

  • Collective Bargaining in Europe
  • Trade Unions in Europe (27 EU countries)
  • Den svenska modellen: fack, arbetsgivare och kollektivavtal

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 2628-7641