ABSTRACT

Social pacts became common in Western Europe since the 1980s but declined after 2008. This is particularly remarkable as other indicators of trade union strength declined in many West European countries during the same time. In contrast, social pacts occurred less frequently in Eastern and Central Europe. This entry traces the incidence of social pacts in Europe, assesses common explanations for the rise in social pacts in Western Europe, and provides a comparison with Eastern Europe. The entry addresses outcomes of social pacts for unions and governments and concludes by reflecting on the meaning of the decline of social pacts for the European social model.