Industrial Relations and Labour Market Policy

We do research on labour regulations, collective organisation, and individual behaviour in working life – analysing the conditions for change, as well as their results.

Central questions

• How is the distribution of power, participation, employment, income, and working conditions among social groups being altered?

• What are the relations between such changes and the demands for renewal or reform of of organisational structures and regulations?

Central topics for research

• Organisation of employees and employers
We study the development of the collective working life, and contribute with research-based support to organisations undergoing changes.

• Relations between parties
Analyses of the relationship between trade unions, employers, and regulators are central to many of our projects.

• Negotiations and wage agreements
We analyse collective bargaining at central and local levels.

• Wages and wage formation
By examining wages, wage formation, and wage systems, we look into the distribution, regulation, and development of wages.

• Labour regulations
We focus on labour law and collective agreements.

• The European labour market
We study the implementation and effect of European regulations on the Norwegian labour market, above all the consequences of the EEA extension.

• Adjustments and changes in working life
We examine the importance of major changes in working life for different groups of employees.

• Working hours
The research on working hours studies different types of working hours regulations, as well as the effects of increased flexibility and of experiments with shorter work-weeks.

Research Director

Sissel Trygstad, tel +47 22088664, mail

Researchers

Kristin Alsos
Øyvind Berge
Mona Bråten
Jon Erik Dølvik
Line Eldring
Heidi Nicolaisen
Bård Jordfald
Kristine Nergaard
Dag Olberg
Åsmund Arup Seip
Jørgen Svalund
Tom Erik Vennesland
Anne Mette Ødegård

Partners, Networks, and Joint Projects

Eiro - European Industrial Relations Observatory. Fafo's contribution to Eiro

Labourstart - Online news service for trade unions, Norwegian Labourstart run by Fafo

Fafo's Forum on the EU enlargement (Fafo Østforum website in Norwegian)

Ongoing projects (in Norwegian)