Foreword

The practice of industrial relations in Germany is changing with the rapidly changing economic and social framework conditions. This booklet about  the modernization of the industrial relations system in Germany is intended to describe the key features of the system, the public discourse in Germany about pros and cons of the key pillars of the system and the key trends for the modernization of the system.

This work is the outcome of a presentation at an international conference held in June 2000 at the Seoul National University in Seoul/Republic of Korea.

The authors, both working for the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, like to express their thanks to all who contributed to this work, especially the anonymous referee and Mrs. Park Sang-hee for the great diligence in repeatedly going through various drafts and producing the final document.

Seoul, November 2000

Dr. Peter Mayer, Erwin Schweisshelm