The current economic and financial crisis erupted several years ago. Its effects impacted deeply upon society, in which legal rules and social patterns have developed to enable the establishment of civilisation, justice and peace. Over time it has become more and more obvious that policy, financial and economic actors have adopted austerity measures as a main tool to solve the ensuing problems, and that these measures have hit social policy standards sometimes dramatically. Recent analyses have dealt with several aspects of this issue. This book focuses on one important element: the impact on collective labour law. It seeks to add to the debate by presenting mainly legal arguments derived from different sources and backgrounds, examining the EU and 'Troika' measures, the economic and political background and the sometimes dramatic consequences of austerity measures on democracy, collective bargaining and the right to strike. Against the framework of EU law, the relevant ILO Conventions, (Revised) European Social Charter and European Convention on Human Rights provisions, the non-compliance of these measures is analysed and demonstrated. The book is also dedicated to procedural questions, and in particular, how legal approaches may be used to challenge austerity measures.

PART I THE EU'S RESPONSES AND ACTIVITIES1. Changes in the General European Legal Framework Isabelle Schömann2. A New Economic Governance through Secondary Legislation? Analysis and Constitutional Assessment: From New Constitutionalism, via Authoritarian Constitutionalism to Progressive Constitutionalism Lukas Oberndorfer3. Competencies of the Troika: Legal Limitations of the Institutions of the European Union Andreas Fischer-Lescano4. Social Policy, Economic Governance and EMU: Alternatives to Austerity Simon DeakinPART II COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND TRADE UNION RIGHTS IN DANGER5. Austerity Measures, Democracy and Social Policy in the EU Bruno Veneziani6. Collective Action Against Austerity Measures Filip Dorssemont7. Decentralisation of Labour Law Standard Setting and the Financial Crisis Antoine JacobsPART III EVALUATION OF THE EU'S RESPONSES AND ACTIVITIES8. Evaluation of EU Responses to the Crisis with Reference to Primary Legislation (European Union Treaties and Charter of Fundamental Rights) Mélanie Schmitt9. Legal and Judicial International Avenues: The ILO Niklas Bruun10. Legal and Judicial International Avenues: The (Revised) European Social Charter Klaus Lörcher11. International Litigation Possibilities in European Collective Labour Law: ECHR Keith Ewing and John Hendy QCPART IV CONCLUSIONSConclusions Niklas Bruun, Klaus Lörcher, Isabelle Schömann