Social dialogue in the shadow of ad hoc government advisory bodies: the case of Central and Eastern Europe

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the limitations of social dialogue structures in Central and Eastern Europe, where traditionally corporatism has been weak. The crisis prompted many Central and Eastern European governments to set up ad hoc advisory bodies to address economic and public health issues, often bypassing or minimising the role of established tripartite social dialogue. These ad hoc bodies sought to involve different stakeholders in crisis management, but lacked consistent social partner involvement. This article examines the impact of such bodies on social dialogue, focusing on representation of the interests of vulnerable workers in Czechia, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia. The findings suggest that, while these bodies allowed for a rapid response, they failed to take into account different interests and thus reinforced ‘illusionary corporatism’ in the aftermath of the pandemic. Despite the potential of ad hoc bodies to increase inclusivity, traditional corporatist structures in Central and Eastern Europe largely reasserted themselves after the crisis.