This article compares the industrial relations practices in symphony orchestras in Germany and the United Kingdom. It looks in particular at four aspects: trade union density; collective bargaining structures; power relations, with particular reference to the seating arrangement for strings; and the experience of women. More specifically, it attempts to explain the comparatively very high levels of trade union density in this sector in both countries, and examines the similarities and differences of the UK and German collective bargaining frameworks in their national contexts.
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