State and Regulation of Industrial Relations in Spain: Old Wine in a New Governance Bottle?

Abstract

The paper explores the politics and outcomes of changes in modes of regulation and governance of industrial relations in Spain. The recent return to peak agreements has been interpreted as evidence of enhanced coordination and the abandonment of a system characterized by pervasive state regulation and fragmented bargaining. The analysis of the impact of these changes allows us to characterize developments in terms of continuity beneath ‘surface’ change. Negotiated reforms and soft forms of industrial relations government at national level have failed to reduce fragmentation and enhance the articulation of collective bargaining. Whilst the law remains a key source of coordination, inter-associational coordination remains weak due to conflicting collective bargaining projects and the credible threat of government intervention.