How Are Wages Set? Collective Bargaining and Wage Conditions in European Countries

On April 15, the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions (ČMKOS), in cooperation with the Central European Labour Studies Institute (CELSI), organized a webinar on differences in wage conditions in the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, and other Central European countries, as well as the impact of collective bargaining on wages in various sectors.

CELSI researchers Marta Kahancová, Martin Guzi and Adam Šumichrast presented the results of the BARWAGE project on wage setting through collective agreements, comparing nine European countries. The event was moderated by Lukáš Němec from the Project Department of ČMKOS and was attended by representatives from KOZ SR.

Between 2021 and 2024, the BARWAGE consortium - including Utrecht University, the WageIndicator Foundation, the Central European Labour Studies Institute, and Fondazione Giuseppe di Vittorio - studied the importance of collective bargaining for wage setting in the European Union.

The main conclusion of this research is that workers in firms applying a collective agreement are better protected from the risk of low pay: collective bargaining increases the likelihood that a worker earns more than the statutory minimum wage.

🔗 More about the BARWAGE project and research reports: https://www.celsi.sk/en/barwage/