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economic democracy, employee ownership

Greater equality: our guide through Covid-19 to sustainable wellbeing

by Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson on 25th November 2020

The pandemic has reinforced the case for egalitarianism to define the ethos of the welfare state.

minimum-wage directive

Minimum-wage directive: yes, but …

by Torsten Müller and Thorsten Schulten on 10th November 2020

The draft minimum-wage directive is a crucial first step but more needs to follow on the way to a social Europe.

temporary contract,employment contract

A framework directive on minimum income: towards decent incomes for all

by Ane Aranguiz, Herwig Verschueren and Anne Van Lancker on 10th November 2020

The European Commission proposal on minimum wages does not exhaust the need to ensure minimum incomes for all.

participation income, PI, welfare conditionality

Reconfiguring welfare in an eco-social state: participation income and universal services

by Mary Murphy and Michael McGann on 29th May 2020

The problem with existing systems of income support is not their conditionality but their presumption that only market participation is a legitimate contribution.

in-work poverty

In-work poverty in times of pandemic

by Luca Ratti on 27th April 2020

The coronavirus crisis is exacerbating in-work poverty in the EU—and a powerful raft of labour-market and welfare measures is needed for an adequate response.

living wage campaign

What Europe can learn from living-wage campaigns

by John Hurley on 2nd April 2020

The UK’s Living Wage Campaign is a successful experiment in broad-based social advocacy.

racism at work

Including racism in the discussion of wellbeing at work

by Sarah Chander on 25th February 2020

The sociologist David Williams has said racism makes us sick and this is also true at work. How can we create workplaces which promote wellbeing for all?

minimum wages

Why EU action on minimum wages is so controversial—yet so necessary

by Amandine Crespy on 20th February 2020

The opening of debate on minimum wages across the EU has precipitated a Nordic union reaction against incursions on collective bargaining.

short-time work

The minimum wage in Germany five years on

by Toralf Pusch and Arne Heise on 13th February 2020

When the minimum wage was introduced in Germany in 2015, there were febrile forecasts of huge job losses. These have proved minimal—while incomes and consumption have benefitted.

wealth tax

Isn’t a wealth tax common sense?

by J Bradford DeLong on 3rd February 2020

The wealth tax proposals advanced by Democratic US presidential primary contenders have drawn vehement criticism from many who should be supporting them.

minimum wages

Fears and hopes around future minimum wages

by Christine Aumayr-Pintar on 30th January 2020

The proposal by the European Commission to legislate on fair EU minimum wages has excited contrasting attitudes among trade unions in member states.

What to do about economic inequality?

by Bo Rothstein on 9th January 2020

Economic inequality has burgeoned as income from capital has risen faster than growth. Time to change the owners of capital.

international tax

International tax emergency: a critical time for developing nations to speak up!

by José Antonio Ocampo on 6th November 2019

An OECD proposal to reduce transnational tax evasion contains flaws which developing countries must challenge before it is set in stone.

Social Imbalances Procedure

The EU needs a ‘Social Imbalances Procedure’

by Sebastiano Sabato, Bart Vanhercke and Francesco Corti on 17th July 2019

The focus of the European Union on fiscal consolidation has left European societies out of kilter and undermined the union’s legitimacy. A Social Imbalances Procedure could begin to put that right.

Spanish minimum wage

The new Spanish minimum wage

by Carlos Vacas-Soriano on 16th July 2019

Raising wage floors is one way to reduce inequality and stimulate recovery in Europe. A big uplift in the Spanish minimum wage this year provides a test bed.

public health

Public discourse in the populist age—a trade-union perspective

by Lukas Hochscheidt on 10th July 2019

Winning the battle against the populists means foregrounding and addressing social inequalities, not presuming political liberalism monopolises the alternative.

Big Data

Big Data and its enclosure of the commons

by Ekkehard Ernst on 12th June 2019

Digital dystopias are overdone but inequality is rising. The answer lies in treating data as a commons and Big Data as a collective-action problem.

universal basic income

Why should governments give cash-handouts before providing free, quality public services to all?

by Rosa Pavanelli on 6th June 2019

Universal Basic Income without quality public services is a neoliberal paradise.

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Social Europe Publishing book

The Brexit endgame is upon us: deal or no deal, the transition period will end on January 1st. With a pandemic raging, for those countries most affected by Brexit the end of the transition could not come at a worse time. Yet, might the UK's withdrawal be a blessing in disguise? With its biggest veto player gone, might the European Pillar of Social Rights take centre stage? This book brings together leading experts in European politics and policy to examine social citizenship rights across the European continent in the wake of Brexit. Will member states see an enhanced social Europe or a race to the bottom?

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Renewing labour relations in the German meat industry: an end to 'organised irresponsibility'?

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Social policy in the European Union: state of play 2020

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