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Collective bargaining and flexibility in Ireland

by Joseph Wallace & Noreen Clifford

II. The types of flexibility introduced

G. General conclusion

The general conclusion to be drawn from the preceding analysis is that there is a clear trend toward an increase in most forms of flexibility. However, the extent of this growth tends to be incremental, and levels of usage vary greatly between different flexibility forms. As Gunnigle et al. (1997, p.125) conclude, "there is no evidence to support the proposition that the use of workforce flexibility today is of any notable difference to its use in the past". As the incidence of flexible working is high in unionized companies, although non-union companies have closed the gap between 1992 and 1995, there is no evidence that unionization, and consequently collective bargaining, has acted to produce a lower level of flexible working arrangements than in the non-union sector.

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Updated by BC. Approved by MR. Last update: 10 August 2000.