Articles

Het sociaal-economisch overleg als besluitvoering

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Abstract

In an economy of concertation, organisations of employers and of employees are legally involved in the process of decision making on economic and especially on social policy.  Government recognises officially the so called social partners as the autonomous represents of the industry. They leave them a number of tasks in the creation and administration of social regulations. Within a legal institutional framework of councils, on national, sectoral and local level, bargaining between social partners is aimed to consensus, which is formalized in social pacts or collective agreements on wage formation, working hours, social insurance etc.
Social legislation is always advised and often written by the socialpartners (in the National Council of Labour). From 1960 up to now (with an interruption in the period of crisis 1981-86) social development has been shaped by national and sectoral pacts. In the evolution of social insurances for workers the influence of the social partners was also eminent. This model was also working in matters of national health policy, linked to health insurance. The overall evaluation of this system is positive. The role of government and parliament has been
restrained. But, on a legal base, free cooperation between virtual antagonists has been realised, and the number of conflicts minimized. Trade-unions were integrated in the process of decision making.

How to Cite:

Deleeck, H., (1995) “Het sociaal-economisch overleg als besluitvoering”, Res Publica 37(1), 115-127. doi: https://doi.org/10.21825/rp.v37i1.18698