The Embeddedness of Steel Restructuring in Social Dialogue

In this chapter, we will determine the influence industrial relations had on the restructuring of the Polish steel industry. The steel industry was one of the rare cases where sectoral social bargaining contributed to developing a framework for privatisation and restructuring of the industry. This was exceptional. In most sectors, unions did not make distinct contributions to the socio-economic reforms in Poland (Ost, 2000b, p. 214). However, the sectoral activities aimed first and foremost at the survival of the sector and disregarded regional development needs. Furthermore, the sectoral achievement spearheaded the shrinkage of the sector, which contributed in no small amount to a marginalisation of labour, and the price of this marginalisation was to see transnational capital determining the rules of the game to an even greater extent. The EU in this game, while not being able to always secure implementation of its policy advice, did back up labour to some extent by claiming social dialogue as a vital part of Europe. To now assess the influence of social partners, in particular the role of trade unions, we have to explore their main instrument of influence, social dialogue, which in most cases had a tripartite character.1 The chapter begins by introducing the main actors involved in Polish industrial relations, and continues with the examination of social dialogue at different levels — national, regional, sectoral, and company level. At all levels, the situation of steel is depicted against the general picture of industrial relations in Poland.