Institutionalised power or crisis corporatism? Comparing Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands during the COVID-19 pandemic

Jakob Strigén, Rense Nieuwenhuis, Minna van Gerven, Zamzam Elmi and Aino Salmi
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Jakob Strigén: Swedish Institute for Social Research (SOFI), Stockholm University, Sweden
Rense Nieuwenhuis: Swedish Institute for Social Research (SOFI), Stockholm University, Sweden
Minna van Gerven: University of Helsinki, Finland
Zamzam Elmi: University of Helsinki, Finland
Aino Salmi: University of Helsinki, Finland

Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, 2025, vol. 31, issue 3, 331-346

Abstract: The social partners often attain a more central role in decision-making during social or economic crises. This article examines whether this held true in Finland, Sweden and the Netherlands during the COVID-19 pandemic. These are countries with strong institutionalised power relations. It assesses whether the crisis affected institutional stability and social partner representation, referred to as crisis corporatism. Drawing on 30 interviews with representatives of social partner organisations and government agencies, as well as labour market experts, we demonstrate strong institutional stability and path dependence in industrial relations during the crisis. While Sweden’s institutionalised power relations remained stable, Finland and the Netherlands experienced temporary shifts, with governments bypassing the social partners on health-related issues. The health-care sector and precarious workers emerged as especially vulnerable.

Keywords: Social dialogue; industrial relations; collective bargaining; corporatism; COVID-19 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:treure:v:31:y:2025:i:3:p:331-346

DOI: 10.1177/10242589251356590

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