Wage Determination in Economies in Transition: Ireland, Spain and Portugal

This paper considers the wage formation experience of three existing EU member states - Ireland, Spain and Portugal. The process of transition to full integration into the EU economy has affected both the demand for labour and the supply of labour in these economies. In the case of labour supply, the role of trade unions has changed, and EU membership has introduced free movement of labour. On the demand side, membership of the EU and the completion of the Single Market have altered the focus for many of the firms operating in these previously rather closed economies. This labour market experience of three economies in transition has lessons for future EU members.