Social Law and Comparative Labour Relations
Code: 42713 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Social Policy, Employment and Welfare | OT | 0 |
Contact
- Name:
- Oriol Barranco Font
- Email:
- oriol.barranco@uab.cat
Teachers
- Oscar Molina Romo
- Miguel Angel Purcalla Bonilla
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
There are no specific requirements
Objectives and Contextualisation
The course aims to address the relationships and dynamics that develop between, on the one hand, the transformations of labour markets and employment relations, and on the other, the actions of the actors within labour relations systems.
The course applies a dual analytical perspective. The first is a social analysis perspective. This involves examining, firstly, how the actions of the state, employers, and trade unions influence the characteristics of labour markets and national and regional employment models. Secondly, from this perspective, it also analyses how the characteristics of labour markets and employment models shape the actions and strategies of labour relations actors, as well as the emergence of new movements and actors advocating for and representing workers. Comparative analysis of differences between territories, both nationally and internationally, and of different types of labour protests, is central.
The second perspective is legal. This involves analysing the content of regulations, directives, recommendations, resolutions, and other legal texts of the European Union concerning labour and Social Security. Likewise, the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union in these areas is also subject to analysis.
The objectives are:
- To provide analytical, conceptual, and methodological tools for studying national labour relations systems and their effects on labour market characteristics and employment models.
- To examine the strategies of employers, trade unions, and new labour advocacy movements or organisations, taking into account their diversity and social determinants.
- To analyse the role of national labour institutions as determinants of the actions of employer and trade union organisations.
- To analyse the role of EU regulations and case law as determinants of the actions of employer organisations, trade unions, and governments in labour and Social Security matters.
Competences
- Design, implement and evaluate social policies and processes for resource redistribution and improvement of citizens' welfare, in different contexts and from a European perspective.
- Work individually and in multidisciplinary, international teams.
Learning Outcomes
- Analyse the rules on case law procedures of the European Union.
- Describe the European Union's directives, rules and recommendations on employment and social matters.
- Recognise European case law on collective bargaining.
- Recognise the employment and social directives of the European Union.
- Work individually and in multidisciplinary, international teams.
Content
The module is structured in two parts.
PART A - Comparative Industrial Relations (Prof. Oscar Molina and Oriol Barranco)
The first part of the course provides analytical tools to examine industrial relations systems, both from a national and international perspective, using a comparative approach. On the one hand, it analyses the impact of the State and its regulations, employer associations, and trade unions on the characteristics of labour markets and national/regional employment models. On the other hand, it also examines how labour market characteristics, employment models, and productive structures shape the actions and strategies of industrial relations actors, as well as the emergence of new movements and organisations advocating for workers' rights. The comparative analysis of differences between regions—both nationally and internationally—and different types of labour protests are central themes.
Session 1. The Actors in industrials Relations: Trade Unions and Employer Organizations.
- Analytical perspectives on industrial relations
- The Comparative analysis in industrial relations; theories and methods
- The actors in industrial relations. Trade unions and employer organizations. Power inequality and logics of action.
Session 2 – Inequality and Industrial Relations. The Importance of Collective Bargaining
- Inequalities and models of capitalism
- Neo-corporatism and its economic impact
- The rise of inequality; the role of industrial relations
- Dimensions of Collective Bargaining and Inequality
Session 3. Socio-Productive Transformations and Trade Union Action
- Trade union and collective action in the post-Fordism
- The international trade union’s crisis and the case of Spain
- The Sources of trade union power
- Towards the trade union and labour movement revitalisation?
Session 4. Trade Unions and New Labour Organisations in Contemporary Spain
- Trade action in Spain in recent decades
- New employment and working realities and new challenges for collective action
- Trade unions and new labour organisations
PART B – European Social Law (Prof. Miguel Ángel Purcalla)
This second part of the module focuses on the study of social law, adopting a multi-level perspective. This part of the module analyses the way in which social and labour problems such as the free movement of workers, digital disconnection, the use of algorithms or safety and hygiene at work have been regulated at a European level.
Session 1 – Free Movement of Workers and Algorithms in Personnel Selection
-The principles that guarantee the free movement of workers in the EU, and the obstacles to free movement
-The use of algorithms by companies and their regulation
Session 2 - Insolvency, business succession and collective dismissal in the EU
-CJEU regulations and criteria
- Experiences and practical cases on business transfers
-Experiences and practical cases on insolvency and guarantee bodies
- Experiences and practical cases on collective dismissals
Session 3.- Occupational health and safety and community social security: rules of the game and practical cases
- Regulatory framework for occupational health and safety: evolution, directives, European agenda 2014-2020, competent bodies
- Obligations and responsibilities in matters of occupational risks: CJEU regulations and criteria
- Regulatory framework for European social security: regulations, coordination method, principles Basics and practical examples on “transnational” benefits
Session 4 – Practical issues on technology and corporate control of the employment relationship: regulatory frameworks, judicial criteria and practical experiences in the EU
- The conflicting rights at stake (company/employee) as a starting point: technology and employment relations (preliminary idea)
- Control of the use of the Internet and e-mail provided by the company
- Geolocation of workers
- Video surveillance
- Right to “disconnect”
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Master classes | 22 | 0.88 | 2, 3, 4 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Assignments | 83 | 3.32 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| Oral presentation | 20 | 0.8 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| Reading of materials and preparation of summaries of articles | 25 | 1 | 1, 2, 3, 4 |
Each of the parts of the module explained above (Part A - Comparative Employment Relations and Part B - European Social Law) will have four sessions.
The development of the teaching of the subject and the training of students is based on the following activities:
1. Directed activities:
1.1 Lectures: through which the student acquires the conceptual bases of the subject. These are activities in charge of the teacher in which he will assume the explanation of the subject corresponding to the session, but seeking the active participation of the student through questions, the presentation and discussion of specific cases, etc.
1.2. Presentation and discussion of readings. They involve the preparation and discussion in class of readings related to the subject presented. For this, the students will receive bibliographic support and guidance from the subject teacher. Given the complexity of the matter addressed and the frequent prior ignorance of it by the students, it will be ensured that the topics to be exposed are affordable or of greater simplicity.
2. Supervised activities:
These are activities that students need to complete before the reading discussion. They involve thinking through/preparing answers to the questions about the session readings provided by the teaching staff.
3. Autonomous activities:
3.1. Preparation of exercises: through this activity the student must apply the knowledge acquired in the lectures to weekly exercises. The exercises will also be based on the readings proposed by the teachers.
3.3. Reading of materials and preparation of summaries: this involves reading and analyzing the articles and regulations that, before each session, will be provided to students on the virtual campus.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active Participation (Part B) | 25% | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| Analytical Assignments (Part A) | 25% | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| Assignments / Practical Cases (Part B) | 25% | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| Comparative Analysis of Employment Relations Systems (Part A) | 25% | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
The evaluation of the Module will be structured as follows:
Part A - Comparative Industrial Relations
Active participation and critical engagement in discussions on compulsory readings will be assessed. Students wishing to improve their grade may submit a critical commentary or essay on issues addressed in the compulsory readings. This exercise can raise the grade by up to 2 points. Students who fail to pass or cannot be assessed due to lack of participation must complete the exercise. In this case, the maximum grade attainable will be a 6.
Part B - European Social Law
The evaluation will consist of two pieces of evidence or elements.
First, active participation in the sessions. The sessions are structured around the discussion of materials previously posted on the CV. The teacher's presentation is structured around the debate presented, but incorporating practical elements based on cases, sentences, etc.
Second, in carrying out exercises / practical cases based on the contents of the sessions. Such exercises can be carried out individually or in a group of a maximum of 2 students. The guidelines in this regard (deadlines, solution methodology, extension) will be indicated by the teachers at the beginning of the module.
In this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is not permitted in any of its phases. Any work containing AI-generated content will be considered academic dishonesty and may result in a partial or total deduction of marks for the activity, or more severe penalties in serious cases.
Bibliography
Parte A
Alós, R., Beneyto, P., Jódar, P., Molina, O. y Vidal, S. (2015). La representación sindical en España. Fundación 1º de Mayo.
Alós, R. y Barranco, O. (2021). Los trabajadores y las trabajadoras sin representación en la empresa y el sindicato. En X. Solà Monells y R. Esteban Legarreta (eds.), La representación laboral en las empresas dispersas y en red: problemática, disfunciones y propuestas correctoras (pp. 1-25). Comares.
Atzeni, M. y Cini, L. (2024). New theories and politics for working class organizing in the gig and precarious world of work. Economic and Industrial Democracy, 45(3), 937–958.
Barranco, O. (2025). Navegando en la crisis permanente. Apuntes sobre la acción sindical en el Estado español. En P. Ibarra, R. Gomà y A. Sribman (coords.), Movimientos sociales y cambio de época. La acción colectiva en transición (pp. 197-216). Bellaterra Edicions.
Barranco, O. y Molina, O. (2014). Sindicalismo y crisis económica: Amenazas, retos y oportunidades. Kult-ur, 1(2), 171-194.
Barranco, O. y Molina, O. (2021). Continuity and change in trade unions frames: Evidence from general strikes in Spain. Economic and Industrial Democracy, 42(4), 1232-1253.
Barranco, O., Alós, R. y Molina, O. (2022). Innovar para representar: trabajadores con dificultades de representación colectiva y estrategias sindicales en España. Cuadernos de Relaciones Laborales, 40(1), 115-137.
Beneyto, P. J. (2008). El sindicalismo español en perspectiva europea: de la anomalía a la convergencia. Cuadernos de relaciones laborales, 26(1), 57.
Beneyto, P. J. (2016). Trabajo y sindicalismo en la globalización. Revista Española de Sociología (RES), 25(1), 57-83.
Bernaciak, M., Gumbrell-McCormick, R., & Hyman, R. (2015). El sindicalismo europeo: ¿de la crisis a la renovación? Fundación 1º de Mayo.
Bieler, A., Erne, R., Golden, D., Helle, I., Kjeldstadli, K., Matos, T., & Stan, S. (Eds.). (2015). Labour and transnational action in times of crisis. Pickering & Chatto Publishers.
Calmfors, L., & Driffill, J. (1988). Bargaining structure, corporatism and macroeconomic performance. Economic Policy, 3(6), 13-61.
Cini, L., Maccarrone, V., & Tassinari, A. (2022). With or without U(nions)? Understanding the diversity of gig workers’ organizing practices in Italy and the UK. European Journal of Industrial Relations, 28(3), 341–362.
Demougin, P., Gooberman, L., Hauptmeier, M., & Heery, E. (2019). Employer organisations transformed. Human Resource Management Journal, 29(1), 1-16.
Dencik, L., & Wilkin, P. (2020). Digital activism and the political culture of trade unionism. Information, Communication & Society, 23(12), 1728-1737.
Dorigatti, L., & Pedersini, R. (2021). Industrial relations and inequality: The many conditions of a crucial relationship. Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, 27(1), 11-27.
Fernández Rodríguez, C. J., Ibáñez Rojo, R., & Martínez Lucio, M. (2023). Spain: Boundaries, roles and changes in trade unionism. En J. Waddington, T. Müller y K. Vandaele (eds.), Trade Unions in the European Union. Picking up the pieces of the neoliberal challenge (pp. 1013-1050). Peter Lang.
Fernández, V. R., & Bazza, A. (2016). Repensando las Variedades de Capitalismo desde la Periferia. Desenvolvimento em Questão, 14(35).
Frege, C., & Kelly, J. E. (Eds.). (2004). Varieties of unionism: Strategies for union revitalization in a globalizing economy. Oxford University Press.
García Calavia, M. A., & Rigby, M. (2016). Recursos de poder de los sindicatos en España. Su examen a través de la negociación colectiva. Sociología del trabajo, 87, 7-24.
Hall, P. A., & Soskice, D. (2001). Varieties of Capitalism: The Institutional Foundations of Comparative Advantage. Oxford University Press.
Hau, M. F., Hansen, N. W., Molina, O., & Barranco, O. (2025). Union democracy from below: Social media, gender, and online grassroots activism. European Societies.
Heras, J. L., & Rodríguez, L. (2021). Striking to Renew: Basque Unions’ Organizing Strategies and Use of the Strike-Fund. British Journal of Industrial Relations, 59(3), 669-700.
Hyman, R. (2015). Tres hipótesis sobre el futuro de las relaciones laborales en Europa. Revista Internacional del Trabajo, 134(1), 5-15.
Ibsen, C. L., & Tapia, M. (2017). Trade union revitalisation: Where are we now? Where to next? Journal of Industrial Relations, 59(2), 170-191.
Johnston, H., & Land-Kazlauskas, C. (2019). Organizing on-demand: Representation, voice, and collective bargaining in the gig economy. Conditions of Work and Employment Series No. 94.
Locke, R., Kochan, T., & Piore, M. (1995). Reconceptualizing comparative industrial relations: Lessons from international research. International Labour Review, 134, 139.
Marginson, P. (2015). Coordinated bargaining in Europe: From incremental corrosion to frontal assault? European Journal of Industrial Relations, 21(2), 97-114.
Martínez-Lucio M. (2008). ¿Todavía organizaciones del descontento?: los retos de las estrategias de renovación sindical en España. Arxius de sociologia, 18, 119-133.
Metcalf, D., Hansen, K., & Charlwood, A. (2001). Unions and the sword of justice: Unions and pay systems, pay inequality, pay discrimination and low pay. National Institute Economic Review, 176(1), 61-75.
Molina, O., & Rhodes, M. (2002). Corporatism: The past, present, and future of a concept. Annual Review of Political Science, 5(1), 305-331.
Murray, G. (2017). Union renewal: What can we learn from three decades of research? Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, 23(1), 9-29.
Regini, M. (2003). Tripartite concertation and varieties of capitalism. European Journal of Industrial Relations, 9(3), 251-263.
Rodríguez, J. K. (2025). From sectionalism and sectionality to intersectionality. En G. Gall (ed.), The Handbook of Labour Unions (pp. 277-294). Agenda.
Vandaele, K. (2018). Will trade unions survive in the platform economy? Emerging Patterns of Platform Workers’ Collective Voice and Representation in Europe. ETUI.
PARTE B
Sesión 1
PURCALLA BONILLA, M.A. (2009): El trabajo globalizado: realidades y propuestas. Thomson-Aranzadi
TRIGUEROS MARTÍNEZ, L.A. (2012): Los derechos sociales fundamentales de los trabajadores inmigrantes, Comares
WEBGRAFIA:
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/atyourservice/es/displayFtu.html?ftuId=FTU_2.1.5.html
http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=457&langId=es
http://www.ugt-fica.org/images/V_GUIA_B%C3%81SICA_MOVILIDAD_INTRAEUROPEA.pdf
http://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/FORO/article/viewFile/53400/48986
https://www.juntadeandalucia.es/empleo/carl/portal/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=27183257-5124-4381-9a15-c7d2de74243a&groupId=10128
http://www.empleo.gob.es/es/sec_trabajo/debes_saber/desplazamiento-trabajadores/index.htm
https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1999-22895
http://www.laboral-social.com/sites/laboral-social.com/files/CT_97_2016.pdf
http://treball.gencat.cat/es/tramits/tramits-temes/Presentar-comunicacions-de-desplacaments-transnacionals?category=
https://www.iberley.es/temas/desplazamiento-trabajadores-marco-prestacion-servicios-transnacional-12191
http://bloglaboral.garrigues.com/controles-legales-en-desplazamientos-temporales-de-trabajadores-en-la-ue
http://togas.biz/articulos/articulo-profesionales-la-normativa-laboral-espa-ola-en-materia-de-desplazamiento-transnacional-de-trabajadores-se-actualiza-para-adaptarse-al-derecho-de-la-uni-n-europea/
Sesión 2
CERVERA SOTO, T. y CID BABARRO, C. (2016): El despido colectivo. Claves prácticas y análisis jurisprudencial, Lex Nova
PURCALLA BONILLA, M.A.: “La extinción colectiva de los contratos de trabajo en las AA públicas y en el sector público”. Revista Española de Derecho del Trabajo, nº 162-2014, págs. 37-70
WEBGRAFIA:
https://www.iberley.es/temas/sucesion-empresa-subrogacion-empresarial-7791
http://guiasjuridicas.wolterskluwer.es/Content/Documento.aspx?params=H4sIAAAAAAAEAMtMSbF1jTAAAUMTc0NDtbLUouLM_DxbIwMDCwNzA0uQQGZapUt-ckhlQaptWmJOcSoAznj0sDUAAAA=WKE
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2008:283:0036:0042:ES:PDF
https://www.prevencionintegral.com/documentacion/directrices-oit/r180-recomendacion-sobre-proteccion-creditos-laborales-en-caso-insolvencia-empleador
http://www.gomezacebo-pombo.com/media/k2/attachments/extension-territorial-de-los-creditos-salariales-en-empresas-insolventes.pdf
http://www.millenniumdipr.com/archivos/1499803075.pdf
https://www.upf.edu/documents/3885005/8337152/MartaCall_editado.pdf/6d2985f3-f92c-7035-795f-80de8c87e177
Sesión 3
PURCALLA BONILLA, M.A. y PRECIADO DOMÈNECH, C.H.: “Salud laboral y prevención de riesgos laborales (normas generales y sectoriales)”, Revista del Ministerio de Empleo y Seguridad Social, nº 177-2015, págs. 185-2011
Webgrafia:
https://osha.europa.eu/es/safety-and-health-legislation/european-directives
https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/agencies/eu-osha_es
http://www.insht.es/portal/site/Insht/menuitem.1f1a3bc79ab34c578c2e8884060961ca/%3Fvgnextoid%3Dde7991ef3e065410VgnVCM1000008130110aRCRD%26vgnextchannel%3D25d44a7f8a651110VgnVCM100000dc0ca8c0RCRD
http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=es&catId=849
https://revista.seg-social.es/2017/11/14/trabajar-en-varios-paises-de-la-ue/
http://www.gomezacebo-pombo.com/media/k2/attachments/seguridad-social-tras-el-brexit.pdf
http://www.madrid.org/cs/Satellite?blobcol=urldata&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobheadername1=Content-disposition&blobheadername2=cadena&blobheadervalue1=filename%3DFicha+Coordinacion+de+la+Seguridad+Social+en+la+UE_.pdf&blobheadervalue2=language%3Des%26site%3DMPDE&blobkey=id&blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobwhere=1352865579967&ssbinary=true
Sesión 4
LLAMOSAS TRAPAGA, A. (2015): Relaciones laborales y NTIC, Dykinson
PURCALLA BONILLA, M.A. y PRECIADO DOMÈNECH, C.H.: “Trabajo a distancia y teletrabajo”, Actualidad Laboral, nº 2, 2013.
Webgrafia:
http://revistas.uned.es/index.php/derechopolitico/article/viewFile/13219/12378
http://www.winit.it/controllo-e-localizzazione-gps-lavoratori-e-dipendenti/
http://www.studiotrincaassociato.com/site/?p=453
https://www.cnil.fr/fr/la-geolocalisation-des-vehicules-des-salaries
http://www.dottrinalavoro.it/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Controllo-a-distanza-e-utilizzazione-di-impianti-Gps-WKI.pdf
Software
No specific software required
Groups and Languages
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (TEm) Theory (master) | 1 | Spanish | second semester | afternoon |