A triumph of failed ideas European models of capitalism in ... - Journal

Crisis corporatism and trade union revitalisation in Europe.................................................................................................................................................................initial offer to the unions caused confusion, because it was tabled by aconservative-led coalition. The ‘Agenda 2010’ policy of the previousSocial Democrat-led government and its occasionally aggressive policyof confrontation with the trade unions appeared to confirm the thesis ofa ‘decoupling’ of the unions from the Social Democrats (Piazza 2001)and the end of German corporatism (2009). But even before theelections to the Bundestag in 2009, it was clear that the Grand Coalitionwas touting for favours from the trade unions. A new form of reverselobbying made its appearance. Whereas in conventional lobbying socialorganisations seek to maintain the interests of their client base byinfluencing government decisions, in reverse lobbying the intendedinfluence flows mainly in the opposite direction. The initiative has comefrom the political parties, or from government representatives. Thiskind of strategy appealed in the first instance mainly to SocialDemocratic Party (SPD) and government representatives. They wereunhappy about the termination of the privileged partnership betweenthe Social Democrats and the unions, as disastrous opinion polls andelection results proved. But under Angela Merkel as Federal Chancellorthe ‘social-democratisation’ of the Christian Democrat party and its repositioningtowards the centre has obviously gone hand in hand with areturn to the idea of corporatism. The result has been a new appreciationof the trade unions as a potential resource to support their own policystrategies and stabilise political majorities (the ‘vote-seeker’ function).Under pressure from the crisis, and the potential for conflict inherent inthe corresponding crisis policy, reverse lobbying appealed across thepolitical spectrum as the nucleus of a tripartite social pact.It is by no means easy, from a trade union point of view, to draw up a‘balance sheet’ of the German response to the crisis. On the plus sideone may list, first, success in securing employment and enhanced publicappreciation of the trade unions. Even among those who tend to becritical of corporatism, the union leadership and the policy they haveadopted in the tripartite negotiating sessions have gained recognition.‘They have proved themselves as crisis managers, and in the politicalgive-and-take they have achieved concessions (generous short-timeworking arrangements, scrappage premium) and results (securing coreworkforces) which in other countries could not be achieved even withmilitant protests’ (Dörre 2011: 268). Obviously, the new, crisis-inducedSocial Pact has opened up channels of influence for the trade unionsthat they have been able to use in their own political interests (UrbanA triumph of failed ideas – European models of capitalism in the crisis 223