Renewal of private sector collective agreements: Focusing on competitiveness and security
Research paper by Søren Kaj Andersen & Christian Lyhne Ibsen
This research paper is a run-up paper describing positions and demands on the trade union and employers sides prior to the renewal of the collective agreements in early 2017 on the Danish private sector labour market. The point of departure is different from the previous rounds of negotiations. The unemployment rate is at the same low level as before the financial crisis in spite of only modest economic growth. Still, uncertainties prevail not least due to the unknown consequences of Brexit and the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States of America. If this means a limitation in the free trade it might have consequences for growth and job creation in Denmark as Danish exports make up more than half of the GNP. This research paper outlines different scenarios for possible themes of the forthcoming bargaining between employer organisations and trade unions.