Can crisis corporatism protect vulnerable workers? Conceptual insights from a European perspective

Chaitawat Boonjubun, Anıl Duman and Marta Kahancová
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Chaitawat Boonjubun: University of Helsinki, Finland
Marta Kahancová: Central European Labour Studies Institute, Bratislava, Slovakia

Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, 2025, vol. 31, issue 3, 277-292

Abstract: Crisis corporatism is conceptualised in this article as a temporary governance strategy involving partnerships between the state, labour and employers to mitigate the impacts of crisis to protect vulnerable workers. Using the COVID-19 pandemic as a case study, the article examines how institutionalised power relations in different industrial regimes enabled corporatist decision-making to safeguard vulnerable workers. It presents a conceptual framework linking crisis corporatism with vulnerability, emphasising social actors’ role in advocating for marginalised groups, drawing on empirical studies from European countries. Findings reveal significant variations in corporatist responses, influenced by institutional frameworks, welfare state traditions, and industrial relations systems. Countries with strong corporatist structures effectively mobilised social partners to protect workers, while those with fragmented institutions relied on state intervention or ad hoc measures, often leaving workers exposed to job or income loss. The article highlights social dialogue’s role in crisis resilience and argues for strengthening corporatist structures to ensure inclusive future responses.

Keywords: Crisis corporatism; vulnerability; institutionalised power relations; social dialogue; vulnerable workers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:treure:v:31:y:2025:i:3:p:277-292

DOI: 10.1177/10242589251377582

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