Rise in occupational welfare benefit schemes

Across Europe, the financial crisis is fostering the emergence of new social and economic needs, which clash with unavoidable cutbacks on public expenditure. In this context ‘occupational welfare’ benefits provided by employers that complement/substitute the public welfare system have recently become a highly debated issue, both in theory and practice. Scholars try to set the boundaries of the phenomenon, while companies witness its fast-paced development. Political and social parties operate in the midst of this ferment, as industrial relations play a crucial role in the promotion of occupational welfare benefits through collective bargaining.