United in Diversity? An inquiry into European trade unions' views on the European Commission's minimum wage initiative

Abstract: The idea for a European minimum wage has a long history, but the initiative launched by the von der Leyen Commission is the first time the Commission is considering taking legislative action. The initiative has divided the European trade union movement. The purpose of this thesis is to explore why a European minimum wage policy is such a contentious issue in the European trade union movement and to understand the diverging views that European trade unions have on the Commission’s initiative on a European minimum wage policy. Using constructivist grounded theory this study is provides an in-depth study of study of trade unions views on a European minimum wage policy showcasing that the diverging perspectives unions have on European integration provide an understanding for their views on the Commission’s initiative. Moreover, it demonstrates that the heterogeneity in the European trade union makes a European minimum wage policy a contentious issue. Furthermore, by investigating the difficulties for European trade unions to reach consensus on the Commission’s initiative this study sheds some light on the ability for trade unions to shape the course of European integration.