Collective Bargaining and Payment regulation at the Regional Level: Assessment and Prospects (on the Example of Ukraine)R

Abstract

In the conditions of constant challenges and threats in the realization of citizens' right to work, collective bargaining becomes almost the only effective tool that allows to reconcile the interests of different actors and consolidate their joint efforts. The purpose of the study is a comparative analysis of the level of development of collective bargaining in different regions of Ukraine and identify challenges and prospects for the development of this institute. The authors proposed a methodology that allows quantitative and qualitative assessment of collective bargaining regulation of wages based on a number of indicators and a comparative analysis of its level of development in different regions. The evaluation confirmed the hypothesis of low activity of social partners and inability to act mobile in the new socio-economic ecosystem. The results showed the underdevelopment of wage regulation through collective bargaining in all regions, which increased distrust in the institution of social partnership and showed the inability of partners to create conditions for decent work. Indicators of the effectiveness of collective bargaining and agreements typical of countries with economies in transition (Ukraine), and the root causes of low quality social dialogue at the regional level are highlighted. Challenges inherent not only in Ukraine but also in most European countries allowed the authors to identify areas for improving collective bargaining, which include expanding the social partners, adapting the content of agreements to the strategic goals of the region and its sustainable development. The identified general trends conditioned upon the challenges of the digital economy and the new economic ecosystem have highlighted the need to rethink the role and content of collective bargaining. The practical value of the study lies in the possibility of applying the developed methodology by social partners, local administrations, local communities to assess social dialogue at the regional level, study and disseminate best practices of wage policy on the basis of social partnership