The Single European Market and Industrial Relations: An Introduction

Abstract

This special issue is concerned with the development of the Single European Market (SEM) and its likely impact on industrial relations in the member-states of the European Community (EC). The articles that follow present new empirical material, analysis and speculation on the development of industrial relations arrangements at the level of both the EC and the member-states. The articles fall into three groups. The first provides a general overview of EC developments and the establishment of the Single Market. The second group then focuses on the structure and governance of firms within the EC and on channels of representation of workers' interests at enterprise level. The third part of the issue deals with likely economic problems and possible economic outcomes of the SEM.