Strained Compromises?: Flexicurity during crisis

Christian Lyhne Ibsen

Strained Compromises? Flexicurity during crisis

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Abstract

The Danish version of flexicurity is not only about a balance between labour market flexibility and social security. Arguably, it is also series of more or less stable underlying compromises between social partners about the main mechanisms and aims of labour market regulation which – supposedly – should be focused on employment rather than jobs and competition on quality rather than on labour costs. However, most studies on Danish flexicurity have been carried out under favourable economic conditions with social partners almost naturally agreeing to the merits of the model – at least in principle. But has the current recession challenged these compromises? The present paper analyses the robustness of agreement by comparing social partner responses before and during the current economic recession. The evidence suggests that the underlying compromises are indeed strained by the economic cycle which underlines the dangers of building models based on short periods of stability.

Original language	English
Publication date	2010
Number of pages	17
Publication status	Published - 2010
Event	The 9th European congress of the International Industrial Relations Association - København, Denmark Duration: 28 Jun 2010 → 1 Jul 2010

Conference

Conference	The 9th European congress of the International Industrial Relations Association
Country/Territory	Denmark
City	København
Period	28/06/2010 → 01/07/2010

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Cite this

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abstract = "The Danish version of flexicurity is not only about a balance between labour market flexibility and social security. Arguably, it is also series of more or less stable underlying compromises between social partners about the main mechanisms and aims of labour market regulation which – supposedly – should be focused on employment rather than jobs and competition on quality rather than on labour costs. However, most studies on Danish flexicurity have been carried out under favourable economic conditions with social partners almost naturally agreeing to the merits of the model – at least in principle. But has the current recession challenged these compromises? The present paper analyses the robustness of agreement by comparing social partner responses before and during the current economic recession. The evidence suggests that the underlying compromises are indeed strained by the economic cycle which underlines the dangers of building models based on short periods of stability. ",

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