Niedriglohnentwicklung und Lohnungleichheit im Drei-Länder-Vergleich – Der Einfluss kollektiver Akteure

Looking at the Netherlands, Austria and Germany, this article shows that the differing development of tariff systems in Europe is accompanied by different dynamics of low-wage employment and wage inequality. In doing so, the authors complement institutional explanations as emphasised in the literature with an analysis of the strategies of the social partners and the state. The results can be summarised as follows: In Austria with its stable and comprehensive tariff system, employers have only partly been able to enforce their aim of increased flexibility. However, in conjunction with a strategy of safeguarding jobs, unions have accepted moderate wage inequality and a moderate share of low-wage work. In the Netherlands, despite institutional stability unions have not been successful with their solidaristic wage policy because the government pushed ahead the relative lowering of lower wages. In Germany, unions have successfully fought for a statutory minimum wage, thus reducing wage inequality. However, in order to reduce the high share of low-wage earners, further measures to stabilise the tariff system seem to be necessary.