The Danish models – Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose?

Abstract

Almost 20 years ago the ’Danish model’ of free collective bargaining was marketed as the cornerstone of labour market regulation in Denmark, and around 10 years later the Danish ‘flexicurity model’ became fashionable. Both ‘models’ found extensive support from governments, employers’ organisations and trade unions, and the research community has departed from these models in its analyses of the Danish labour market. The article traces the basic origins of the models and provides a critical analysis of the two models and discusses the impact from recent developments that influence some of the structures and institutions that constitute the models. The main conclusions are, first, that it is still reasonable to identify the model of collective bargaining despite the fact that considerable changes have taken place in the balance between the state (also influenced by EU regulation), capital and labour. Secondly, it is argued that the balance between flexibility and social security in the flexicurity model now has changed so much in favour of flexibility that the model should be termed flexinsecurity.