Convergence and divergence of working conditions in Europe: 1990–2005

This report was produced for the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions as part of the secondary analysis of the latest European Working Conditions Survey. The first part reviews existing literature on the divergence/convergence of European countries’ social models (clusters, varieties of capitalism, etc.). The second part comprises a statistical analysis of the data of the five European Working Conditions Surveys carried out by the Dublin Foundation between 1990 and 2005. 27 European countries are analysed. Possible convergences/divergences in working conditions in the different European countries over this time are highlighted, with a view to ascertaining whether a relative improvement in, or on the contrary a worsening of the quality of employment in Europe can be noted over the last 15 years.

The final report was published by the Foundation in 2009.