The relaunch of regional social dialogue in Poland. How politics shaped institutions, and how institutions are likely to shape social change

Abstract

This article, inspired by the recent restructuring of social dialogue in Poland, reflects on the role played by neo-corporatist institutions in the country, with specific reference to their capacity (or not) to influence the approach, contents and implementation of labour policies and, therefore, affect social change. For this purpose, it presents the findings of a case study focused on the sub-national level of regulation and conducted in the region of Lower Silesia, within the framework of the Airmulp project. The analysis - which relies on mixed methods, including the analysis of statistical data, the review of official documents, and interviews with key informants - reveals that regional social dialogue is not likely to produce substantial outcomes and is, most feasibly, a means for building consensus on neo-liberal policies from the bottom up.