Social partners’ policy reactions to migration in occupational labour markets: The case of the Swiss construction industry

Abstract

There has been extensive research into policy reactions to migration with regard to wages and labour conditions, but not vocational training. I show that employers’ associations and unions in the Swiss construction industry have reacted to increasing mobility by protecting existing occupational labour markets through policies regulating the entry to these. The multi-layered structure of employers’ associations, trade unions and collective agreements along occupational and territorial lines explains the high level of collective occupational protectionism in this industry. The Swiss case thereby presents a particularly interesting and controversial example of regulation of free movement of workers in Europe.