Ambiguities of social Europe: Political agenda setting among trade unionists from Central and Eastern Europe and Western Europe

摘要

The article analyzes the integration of Central and Eastern European (CEE) trade unions in European policy-making. With reference to transnational cooperation in two fields of European-level decision making (issues concerning freedom of services and a European minimum wage), it investigates the extent to which trade unions from the CEE countries are participating in the development of policy positions among European-level trade union organizations. On this basis, the article highlights three things: (1) the instrumental meaning of "Social Europe," (2) the necessity of a mid-way position between optimistic and pessimistic viewpoints on East-West trade union cooperation, and (3) the meaning of social skill among European-level trade union actors.