Relaciones laborales, creación de empleo y crecimiento económico

Abstract

This article defends the hypothesis according to which the weakness of economic growth, rising unemployment and low employment rates are not the result of the rigidity of the labour market, the predilection of the population for leisure or the loss of purchasing power but rather the inability of the managers and workers of companies to work together. In other words, poor labour relations, which are the result of the genesis of trade union attitudes, the tendency towards paternalism and, lately, bureaucracy and a preponderance of senior officials, generate dissatisfaction at work, mistrust between employers and employees and a lack of collaboration between the two, with a direct bearing on economic growth and job creation. In particular, France is characterized by the inability of its major corporate players to build labour relations based on mutual trust and a search for a common interest. Faced with this state of affairs, several authors, among them Thomas Philippon, propose renewing labour relations by means of the limitation of the family transmission of companies, support for small and medium-sized companies, the renewal of social dialogue, public service reform, the strengthening of the counter-powers and the transformation of the education system.