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Whither Solidarity? Transitions in Swedish Public‐Sector Pay Policy
Author(s) -
Wise Lois Recascino
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
british journal of industrial relations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.665
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1467-8543
pISSN - 0007-1080
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8543.1993.tb00381.x
Subject(s) - solidarity , salary , public sector , decentralization , wage , labour economics , negotiation , government (linguistics) , rhetoric , economics , collective bargaining , business , public economics , public administration , market economy , political science , economy , politics , linguistics , philosophy , law
As part of a drive for efficiency and decentralization in government operations, Sweden is implementing a new system of pay administration in the public sector that is marked by a clear movement away from centralized wage negotiation and fixed salary increases towards more flexible and individualized pay rates. Despite rhetoric about performance and efficiency, the changes appear to be focused mainly on expanding wage differentials among occupational groups and offering market premiums to recruit and retain valued employees. Although the new pay system has not been integrated into a general management approach, it offers considerable challenge to the norms and values of solidarity that have traditionally been held so strongly in Sweden.