The Ghent system in transition: unions’ evolving role in Sweden’s multi-pillar unemployment benefit system
(2022) In Transfer - European Review of Labour and Research 28(2).- Abstract
- This article discusses the multi-faceted and changing role played by trade unions in providing unemployment benefits in Sweden, a country using the so-called Ghent system. As an important institutional feature explaining the high rate of unionisation in the Nordics, the system has been much debated. This article provides a comprehensive account of the retrenchment of the state unemployment benefit system (UBS) and the development of occupational and private UBS pillars
providing complementary protection. It also introduces an ongoing reform discussion where the social partners are proposed to govern the unemployment insurance system via collective agreements, while retaining the union-linked insurance funds. The core institutional... (More) - This article discusses the multi-faceted and changing role played by trade unions in providing unemployment benefits in Sweden, a country using the so-called Ghent system. As an important institutional feature explaining the high rate of unionisation in the Nordics, the system has been much debated. This article provides a comprehensive account of the retrenchment of the state unemployment benefit system (UBS) and the development of occupational and private UBS pillars
providing complementary protection. It also introduces an ongoing reform discussion where the social partners are proposed to govern the unemployment insurance system via collective agreements, while retaining the union-linked insurance funds. The core institutional feature of the Ghent system – voluntary membership of a union-linked insurance fund – is turning out to be highly resilient despite frequent attempts to weaken the union power stemming from it. However, the system’s role in providing unemployment protection has changed due to its development into a multi-pillar structure, meaning that its future prospects are uncertain. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/deb37799-86b1-42f9-ae86-03fc071e2103
- author
- Lindellee, Jayeon LU and Berglund, Tomas
- organization
- publishing date
- 2022-04-23
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Ghent system, multi-pillarisation, Sweden, trade unions, unemployment benefit
- in
- Transfer - European Review of Labour and Research
- volume
- 28
- issue
- 2
- pages
- 17 pages
- publisher
- SAGE Publications
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85129687571
- ISSN
- 1024-2589
- DOI
- 10.1177/10242589221080885
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- deb37799-86b1-42f9-ae86-03fc071e2103
- date added to LUP
- 2022-04-26 09:00:45
- date last changed
- 2025-04-04 15:04:29
@article{deb37799-86b1-42f9-ae86-03fc071e2103,
abstract = {{This article discusses the multi-faceted and changing role played by trade unions in providing unemployment benefits in Sweden, a country using the so-called Ghent system. As an important institutional feature explaining the high rate of unionisation in the Nordics, the system has been much debated. This article provides a comprehensive account of the retrenchment of the state unemployment benefit system (UBS) and the development of occupational and private UBS pillars<br/>providing complementary protection. It also introduces an ongoing reform discussion where the social partners are proposed to govern the unemployment insurance system via collective agreements, while retaining the union-linked insurance funds. The core institutional feature of the Ghent system – voluntary membership of a union-linked insurance fund – is turning out to be highly resilient despite frequent attempts to weaken the union power stemming from it. However, the system’s role in providing unemployment protection has changed due to its development into a multi-pillar structure, meaning that its future prospects are uncertain.}},
author = {{Lindellee, Jayeon and Berglund, Tomas}},
issn = {{1024-2589}},
keywords = {{Ghent system; multi-pillarisation; Sweden; trade unions; unemployment benefit}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{04}},
number = {{2}},
publisher = {{SAGE Publications}},
series = {{Transfer - European Review of Labour and Research}},
title = {{The Ghent system in transition: unions’ evolving role in Sweden’s multi-pillar unemployment benefit system}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/117228545/transfer_lindellee_berglund_online_first.pdf}},
doi = {{10.1177/10242589221080885}},
volume = {{28}},
year = {{2022}},
}